God Promises to Build Your Strong House

Psalms 127:1-5 A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.
 
WHAT is your life’s foundation? Born into Adam’s sin, our lives become restless wandering when we build our lives on pride and self-pleasure. We see this in God’s judgment on Cain: Genesis 4:12 “When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
   In this psalm that seems to read as one of Solomon’s proverbs, the wise king points us to the only One who will fill our restless heart. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
   You can understand “house” as your personal life relating to your household, your relationships with friends, your church and your faith in Jesus. Pick one. Who needs to be at the foundation of that relationship? If the LORD is not, who or what is? How vain, how hopeless it is to build your house on anyone but the Maker of heaven and earth.
   One of the common practices to safeguard a city in ancient times was to establish watchmen on the city’s walls. Their constant presence kept the city alert to welcome visitors and to block enemies. They could call for the gates to be open or shut, depending on friend or foe.
   When you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit becomes your watchman. He alerts you to the good and the evil. As the Spirit teaches you the foundational truths of God’s Word, you will gain wisdom to build your faith on God’s good, enduring Word. And you will reject and remove temptation’s crumbling foundation.
   Jesus said it this way as he concluded his Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
   Your task, Christian, is to strengthen your faith’s building blocks. Hold firmly to your testimony of Jesus. Trust the Holy Spirit to be your watchman. Use the Helper’s strength to help you be a watchman for your family, community and church. Close the gate to evil. Open the gate to God’s foundational truth. Build a life that helps build the kingdom of God on earth.