TILT
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.
Matthew 7:25-27
Growing up, every summer, my family would spend one week in the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. I had so much fun because I was with my friends, and my parents were with their friends. Four nights a week, Kirkwood Lodge would have square dancing and ballroom dancing. There was a swimming pool and a lot of activities for children as well as adults. One of my favorite events there was playing the pinball machines. I got pretty good at playing pinball. For those who know how to play pinball, it takes great hand-to-eye coordination. Flippers were at the bottom and the goal was to keep that shiny metal ball at the top, to continue to score. Sometimes you would try to bump the machine a little bit , to direct that shiny metal ball. However, if you bumped the machine too much, you would get a loud buzzer and the dreaded four-letter word, TILT! TILT was the one word that you did not want to see because you knew there would be a penalty. Most times, the penalty would involve the shiny metal ball going down the alley and the flippers would not work. Nothing in the players power could change anything when the machine decided to go TILT.
No matter how young or how old we are, there are times in our lives where we experience TILT. It could be a disease or a physical ailment, surgery, a family death, challenges in work, challenges within us or challenges around us. TILT can occur outside of the home or inside of the home. One time, I had to stay home because I was sick (TILT within) and we went to pick up my one of my younger brothers at school. As my mother pulled the car out of the driveway and began to navigate, she looked up and saw a funnel cloud over us (TILT outside). TILT can jar your universe and if you live long enough, you're going to experience TILT within the home and TILT outside of the home.
Yeshua spoke on the need to be sure that one has a sure foundation to draw upon during times of trouble. The Hebrew word for rock is צוּר
Tsur. There are times in our lives when we experience difficulty. Upon what are you standing? I’m ok, you’re OK philosophy? On your own resources or resolve? Sooner or later, TILT is going to come upon you and how are you going to respond? In times of difficulty, if one does not have the צוּר Rock, Yeshua as the Rock, their foundation is sandy. TILT happens.
It seems as though our culture is experiencing TILT. Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil. Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness. Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20) Woe to those who make light of murdering the unborn . Woe to those who make light of traditional marriage between man and woman. Woe to those who make light of us who walk one day at a time with God. TILT is happening.
However, those of us who love the LORD have a sure rock, a sure TSUR צוּר and we can lean and trust Yeshua Jesus to see us through TILT times.
My salvation and my glory rest on God;
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:7-8
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psalm 61:2
All drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
1 Cor. 10:4
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:15-18