Psalm 127:1-5 Our House
Our house is empty without the Lord. It will not last nor stand against the storms unless God is central in it. God fills it with joy and laughter.
As I am looking at our reading for today I’m thinking about my son and his little family. They are in the middle of an Army move. This move has had move twists and turns to it than any I ever experienced while my ex-husband was in the military. I do remember some stressful ones now that I think back but theirs seems even worse. I want to take a moment right now to stop and pray.
Father God, You give Your beloved sleep. To me this also means rest and peace. I’m asking for this for David and Cynthia right now. Give them an easy transition. Smooth out all the bumps in the road and give them You peace that passes all understanding in the process. In Jesus’ name I pray this Father and I trust Your Holy Spirit to work out all the details.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (verse 1a). This is a promise stated in inverse phrasing. This promise says that when we build our homes with the Lord they are safe. They are a place of refuge from the world. A place where His presence dwells. THAT is the home I want!
I’m not entirely certain if our psalmist was specifically referring to the Temple that was built for the Lord and Jerusalem or our own homes. But being that WE are the Temples of God now, I’m personally appropriating this promise. He is the Craftsman for His home in my heart and my family’s relationship. I know I didn’t do a perfect job with my children but I kept God at the heart of our home. Yes, they have wandered from Him as adults BUT I trust Him to bring them back to Himself.
I don’t want to “rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil” (verse 2a). I want to have His peace fill my days. This DOES NOT mean that I sit back and watch Him do all the work. It means that I put what I’m doing in His hands and work at it as unto Him. I do my best and let Him worry about the rest. I bring my concerns to Him and ask for His guidance in what I should do. I DON’T run around trying to make everything work out myself. I’ve tried that MANY times and it doesn’t work! Life is MUCH better when I let Him take the lead.
Next is another promise of the Lord regarding children. This is a hard promise to hold onto for a woman who cannot have children. I have not endured that emptiness as the Lord has ‘filled my quiver’ with two generations now. But I can identify with that deep longing and emptiness.
I don’t know why I feel drawn to follow this path today. Maybe there is someone who needs to hear what the Spirit is saying. Maybe He is preparing me for something that is coming up in my future. I will trust Him with the why and go where He takes me.
God isn’t limited in blessing with love only the children of your womb. He can open a barren heart and pour His love into it for a child that is hungry for that love. It may be a child that comes to reside with you or even one you only have a passing encounter with. ALL children belong to God and when we honor one of His little ones with love we are loving Him as well. “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for such is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:14). Even in old age we can still pour out love on the children we encounter.
This does NOT mean ‘spoiling’ every child we meet with treats and gushy words. Sometimes it means standing firm in the “no” category when discipline is required. This DOESN’T mean taking the parent’s place for discipline, unless that child is placed in your care and you are given the authority. Instead it could be a simple offer to help when you see a child and parent/caregiver struggling. Or even an encouraging word or smile. A silent prayer for them would also be an amazing act of love.
Father God, for every woman who longs for a child and is unable to conceive, I pray Your comfort. I pray You show them Your love in profound ways. I pray that You would bring children across their path that they can share their heart with while they wait. Some may wait forever while others may have their desires granted by You, but ALL are precious to You. Some may not even seek You to fill their emptiness. First they need to let You fill their even deeper emptiness. The place where ALL Your creations have waiting for You to fill. The place that NOTHING else can satisfy. I pray each person who comes across this message recognizes that longing and allows You to fill it with Your love.
I pray also Father for every child in the world today. I pray that You would place someone in their lives that would show them Your love. Who would bring joy to them and be a blessing in their lives. I pray that every child that is ‘unwanted’ would find a place where they are cherished. Keep them safe in Your arms Father.
I KNOW this world is going to get worse before it gets better Father, but help me hold out love to those around me no matter what. Help me continue to ‘build my house’ with You as my center. Tear down anything that was built amiss. Continue to draw my children back into fellowship with You Father. I cling to Your promises regarding them. I am truly blessed to be their mother!
