Parable

Date: 24 January 2006 21:50:00

There was a man who decided to build a house. The Lord told him clearly that if he built on the sand, his house would surely fall. So he chose the strongest rock to build on, and laboured for many months and years building his house. Finally, when it was ready, he moved his whole family into the house and they celebrated. That night a great storm arose, and blew until the house fell with a tremendous crash.

The man cried out to God, saying "I built my house on the rock, and You said it would stand."

The Lord said, "I did not. I said that it would surely fall if you built it on the sand."

The man cried again, "Why then did You allow me to build, knowing that it would fall? And why did You let me bring my family into it, knowing they would be slain?"

And the Lord said nothing. The man grieved, and when the time of grieving was up, he married again and began a new family. And after a time he began to build again. But this time he built slowly, and halfway through he stopped. And he sat on the ground and wept.

And the Lord said, "Why have you stopped building?"

The man said, "If I build here, a storm may rise again, and sweep the house down, and kill more of my family."

The Lord said to the man, "See, it is a clear spring day. Have I not brought you into a time of peace and prosperity? Is it not a good day to build?"

The man said, "Promise me You will not let the storm take my family."

And the Lord said, "I will not promise that, for it is not for you to know the future. But build strong and well, trusting in Me, that I am good, even though you know that I might at any time let the storm rise again. And then your house will glorify Me, though it may fall."

The man sat longer, and was silent for a time. And then he began to build.

And the sun came out, and warmed him as he worked.

Question
Why did the man begin to build again?