Who's Building?

"Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain." Psalm 127:1

I've heard and read this verse so many times that I have it memorized without even trying to memorize it. :) But, as I took time to contemplate the words this week, I find myself seeing it in a whole new light. 

You see, I don't know about you, but I do a lot of building...in my own heart and mind. I plan, I lay a foundation and I'm putting up walls in the thoughts of my heart before I even realize what I am doing. 

It can be great fun to dream and to imagine, but it can be very dangerous to take those ideas and start making them feel concrete, even if it's just in our own minds. When we do that, we run ahead of God...we start telling Him our plans, instead of humbly bringing our desires and hopes before Him. We build in vain, because the Lord is not building. We watch over our plans in vain because we have not sought our ever-watchful God. 

And then, we find ourselves weary and burdened as we watch what we have built in our minds not come to fruition or come together the way we hoped. We realize God's plans were different than the ones we were toiling for. Those can be hard moments...when we realize the time, thought and energy we have poured into an idea, a desire, or a dream has been in vain. Yet, even in those moments, our Jesus is merciful. He says, 

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

True rest is found in sweet submission to the Lord and His plan (His yoke). True rest is found in obedience, in following the footsteps of our Savior, learning from His example. True rest is found in waiting on the Lord to build and trusting the Lord to watch over every detail of every day! 








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