By His Strength
A verse of the day a little while back really sent me back down a journey I’ve been on for a bit. The passage was Psalm 127:1, but I want us to look at the whole chapter really quick.
Psalm 127:1-5— “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”
Here is the beauty and challenge to this chapter. Everything that we do in our own strength, even with the best of intent, and with the best of goals, it is fleeting and temporary.
The comparisons that are drawn in the first verse would akin to, “if you build a house, the best you’ll get is a falling shanty made of straw. If you are the only defense over the city, you might as well be holding a squirt gun and inflatable sword from the fair.”
Not super encouraging at first glance, but let’s keep reading verse 2. Getting up early and working ourselves down to exhaustion was never His plan for us. He wants us to be rested and full of life.
Then an amazing turn happens in the chapter. The writer turns the conversation to the relationship between parents and their kids.
God loves us, and the way that love is described… is like the amazing love a father or mother offer their kids.
No great parent wants their kids to figure it out on their own with their help, love and support. We are proud of kid’s best efforts, but we want to bring the help, wisdom and support we can, to help them go further, faster, and more effectively. Our love causes us to refuse to be silent and stand by. Our love helps to lift them.
That’s what we’re able to do as earthly mortal, finite parents. Now insert God into the picture, as our Good Father.
That’s good news right there.
Then the chapter closes with the blessing kids bring to their parents. Like arrows in a quiver, they are shot out ahead making powerful impact all over the world.
Why share all this?
Friends, when we see ourselves as working and running in our own strength, with our own ideas, our own visions, our own strategies, our own way; all in order to prove or show God how much we love Him by how much we can do on His behalf, we are completely missing what He intends for us to experience.
God, our Father, by His strength, His wisdom, and His way, wants to show Himself mightily through His children. That means His priorities and His plan not ours. That also means the life and strength that stands behind it, is His too.
That is a life worth living, that is a life that will make lasting and real change.
Let’s live it His way friends!
~Daniel Sabo