Unless the Lord builds the house

Psalm 127:1-2 “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”

I’m sure you’ve passed by many a house with a placard planted in the garden with the name of a security company displayed. Some signs may say, “armed response” or “24 hour live and recorded video surveillance”. There is a sense of security in this arrangement. However, ultimately our security and trust are in the Lord.

Thank the Lord that He never slumbers, nor sleeps. Psalm 121:4 “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” His provision and protection and sovereignty are beyond measure! And His provision, protection, and sovereignty extends also to prayer. To quote one of my dear friends who is almost 90 years old, “Praying is like breathing. You do it all the time!”

We lift our cares and earnest requests to the Lord for ourselves and most importantly for others. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your anxieties (cares) on Him, because He cares for you.” And we do this by faith, trusting that the Lord will do what is best.

Knowing how much God cares for us, encourages us to come to Him. We come to Him with a heart of praise and thanksgiving, expectation and confidence, all the while marveling at all His attributes. Whatever we hope will be accomplished; we must depend on the Lord for its completion. To think otherwise, is foolish since apart from the Lord, we can do nothing.

John 15:5b “for apart from Me you can do nothing.” We must align ourselves with God’s plans and purposes. When we do so, there is a certain “fragrance” and “sweet perfume” of fellowship in lining up in prayer according to God’s will.

-Submitted by Pam Burton