Hi my friends, Ann here.
Today we're going to look at Psalm 127, written by King Solomon:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat-
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.
Have you ever built something with the Lord? If so, I would love to hear about it in the comments. Maybe it was a book you were led to write, or a little business God had you set up. Perhaps it literally was a house!
What was the process God took you through?
How did he communicate his blueprint to you?
What did it feel like to build with the Lord?
In this Psalm, I believe that Solomon was inspired by the house he had literally been building: The temple of God. His father, David, had spent a considerable time collecting materials and inspirations for this house. Then David died and Solomon built, according to God's blueprint.
I believe that when Solomon started building this house, a feeling of 'flow' came over him, from the Spirit. I think I know that feeling myself, as I've had an experience in the past when God asked me to build something. For Solomon, I believe it would have felt like a strange ease was on it. He would have been excited about it, unable to stop working on it, and this is why he proclaimed:
Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders toil in vain!
Yes indeed, that was what Solomon was experiencing as he watched the pillars go up, and the special utensils get crafted. But hang on, why does the second half of the Psalm change so abruptly, from (1) a house to (2) children? One minute Solomon is talking about a house, and the next he's talking about children being a blessing. What is all that about?
Well, scholars believe that Solomon is also talking about 'house' as a family. The word house can mean family: The house of David, for example. And Solomon is saying that God builds your family, or your household.
SUMites, we too are constructing a house of our own: Our own little family. And our family is our project. We are intentional about our families, but God also gives us the blueprint; especially if we ask him for it. Perhaps we can pray, then:
Lord, give me a blueprint for my family.
Lately, I have been doing a couple of things relating to my own 'house':
(1) I have been celebrating my house (i.e., family) by producing beautiful photo-books of the years of our family, beginning from when my children were born. I am using Milk photo books, have chosen a lovely oatmeal fabric cover for each book, and am carefully documenting our years from 2004 – present. I picture this row of oatmeal books sitting on a shelf in my house for years to come, and I also picture myself as an old lady browsing these books while sitting in my rocking chair, rocking away.
(2) As my children have just reached adulthood, I am looking at our finances and building in margin for some of our money to be spent on experiences together — experiences the children, who are now adults, will enjoy.
Those are both material things; but above all of that the most important thing I can do for my 'house' is to have a clear prayer plan. All of this is effort; but I must remind myself that the Lord builds my house; and if I ask him for it he will not only give me a blueprint, but he will enable me to build my house with that feeling of 'heavenly flow'.
May we too feel a 'feeling of flow' as we build our own houses, according to God's blueprint.
Love you, SUMites
Ann x
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