Unless the Lord build the house...

"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."

Psalm 127:1-3

When I took this picture, I was standing in what had been my bed room. 

This was last August. 

During the last seven months, God has really been dealing with my heart in the area of expectations and human effort. 

Raising four kids while sleeping in the living room and stepping around shop vacs, wet-saws and tool boxes has presented a huge challenge, both physically and mentally. 

It has been a great challenge to honor the Sabbath and there have definitely been Sabbath's that we have not. It is so easy to become fixated on that which must get done that we take rest out of the equation only to find ourselves out of touch with God and one another as well as exhausted, heart and soul. 

"Unless the Lord build the house..."

"Unless the Lord keep watch over the city..."

How often I find myself running and toiling feverishly to build my kingdom here on earth. 

I look around at what the world has, how they are filling their nice homes and driving their nice cars, and find myself subtly being drawn into that. 

I find myself trying to protect my kids from everything. We sanitize everything, eat organically, vaccinate for this and medicate for that, only to find they will still get sick, they will still make mistakes and they can still be hurt. 

This is not to say that we as parents should not be doing these things, but when our focus and energy is poured into these hollow human efforts, we come up tired and unsuccessful. The protection of our children and those we love is not found in our efforts, but rather through our faithful Lord keeping watch over them. 

"eating the bread of anxious toil..."

I don't know about you, but I know anxious toil well.

There is some product from it, but it is merely bread alone. 

When we realize that we are invited to come and feast with Him at His banqueting table how can we still cling to our unstisfying bread crusts? 

As I look forward to the month of April and to my remaining moments and days on earth, my heart is hungry for rest. 

I am His beloved and I will claim the rest, protection and covering that He is promising me. 

I will enjoy the beauty of what He has provided rather than always longing for more. 

I will take joy in and love my children while they are mine and will find peace in knowing they were His first. 

I will feast with Him in the splendor of His presence through my daily communion with Him.

I will slow down enough to teach others about Him and to spend time savoring His goodness. 

I will come into His presence and rest. 

Blessed Friday everyone!

It's good to be back :) 

<><tce