Building a Dream Home
Psalm 127
"Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. 2It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. 3Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, When they speak with their enemies in the gate."
Building a home is a very complicated matter, and neither your sheer wit nor wisdom will help you build a happy, fruitful and prosperous Christian home.
How many LIKE building something only to find out that you did it wrong?
This Psalm was written by King Solomon. He was inspired by God when he wrote these words, yet, if you look at the end of his life you will find that...
1. His building, both literal and figurative, became reckless (1 Kings 9:10ff).
2. His Kingdom became a ruin (1 Kings 11:11ff), and
3. His marriages became a disastrous denial of God (1 Kings 11:1).
This is because Solomon ignored his own words. He stopped depending on God; He stopped seeking God’s face alone in all he did. He let other gods and other concerns come between him and the Lord.
You need a divine plan and a builder to build your home. That plan is God’s Word, and the builder is Jesus Christ.
One of the most important features of this Psalm is that it addresses three of the most important of human concerns: accomplishment, security, and family. This Psalm forces you to examine these areas and recognize the One who is in control of all three.
In whatever you do, before you begin it, you must first think about what you want to accomplish and then begin carefully and thoughtfully. The same is true, of course, for the Christian.
You must build your lives (in all areas) with God, because of God, and for God.
The first part of verse 1 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." (This speaks of building, of Accomplishment.)
Man is a builder. He builds houses, boats, computers, airplanes, televisions, damns, hospitals, industries, roads, satellites, cars, rockets, and much more.
It is in his nature to build, after all, Man is made in the image of God, and God built the universe. So, we build.
There are two ways for you to build: You can build being dependent upon God, or you can build being independent of God.
The first involves humility, the second involves pride.
When man builds apart from God, he is building with a prideful heart, and the Lord will tear it down. God says, "They may build, but I will tear down..." (Mal. 1:4, NASB).
Ultimately, building without God will bring you to frustration, sadness, hopelessness, and discouragement.
There is a great example of building without God, of vain effort. Look at the tower of Babel.
Genesis 11:4-5, 8 says, "And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’ 5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built...8So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city."
The people of the Tower of Babel were full of pride. They did not build in humility and dependence upon God. They sought their own will, not the will of God. They built in vain.
The Tower of Babel is a warning to you to be sure to build according to God’s will and word. But, how do you build so that it is God who has built it?
You both build. You work with God to accomplish goals such as raising children.
How do you build so you do not build in vain?
1. You acknowledge that God is the true builder of all things and that you can only do what you can by His grace.
2. You acknowledge your utter dependence upon Him.
3. You must pray and bathe all that you do in seeking God’s will and blessing.
4. You remain humble before Him and seek Him.
There really are only two kinds of foundations: a godly one and an ungodly one. On which do you build?
But for the Lord to build the house, it means...
1. To trust God,
2. To be patient,
3. To yield to His will and His timing.
4. Various Ministry Involvements,
Because God is the True Builder.
In John 14:1-3, Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
Ultimately, the house that we build will not stand. The house that the Lord builds will stand forever.
The second part of verse 1 says, "Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain." (SECURITY, safety, protection) (It is the Lord who makes secure)
In the ancient cities, there were guards who would patrol at night and watch for enemies trying to attack unexpectedly. Israel had been at war with many nations and their security as a nation, and therefore as individuals, was a very real and important concern. Likewise with us.
Today, there are nations that want the family destroyed. There are people who do not want God’s word and salvation to be known. In those nations we find religiosity, fashion, sensuality among others that the destruction of you and the Church of God. And, the devil prowls around looking to see who he can devour.
But, the Lord Jesus says that He is the one who is watching. It is He who is the true Guard. He has kept the family safe from attacks. His sheep in this land are of great value to Him and He will not let us be destroyed.
John 10:7-9, "Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8"All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
Jesus is the door. Jesus was drawing from a commonly understood occupation: sheep herding. When the shepherd would put the sheep to sleep at night, he would pen them up and sleep, literally, sleep in the doorway so as to protect his sheep. This is what Jesus is to you. He is guarding you.
The Lord guards your lives and your very hearts:
Phil. 4:7 "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ."
Verse 2 speaks of the uselessness of rising up early and staying up late.
This doesn’t mean you aren’t supposed to work hard or work diligently.
It is the attitude we could call today "workaholic."
Yes, you build and you want to keep what you produce. But you need to humbly recognize that God is the One who ultimately keeps you safe and secure and that there is a need for us to rest, to rest in Him, as a sign of faith in Him. That means you trust Him with your lives, your family, and your future.
There are two ways to translate the second part of this verse:
"For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep."
If it is translated this way, then the meaning is that God is the one who is providing for us and that even while we sleep, God is at work.
"For He gives His beloved sleep."
If it is translated this way, then the meaning is that gives rest to His people. It is a blessing from Him.
We don’t have enough strength to protect it once we build it. Only the Lord can build and protect a home! With the Lord as your protector, ask Him to help you guard your home against the following enemies:
Immorality: Immorality was the downfall of ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt and Babylon. It may well be the sin that destroys America. Why? Because when you treat sex lightly, you treat other human beings lightly. The Bible says, “Flee fornication” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” There is no sin in the catalog of sins that will do more damage than the sin of adultery, fornication or sexual perversion.
Alcohol: Alcohol is a poison that pollutes the body and the home. We are producing almost one million alcoholics each year in America, and it is the home that suffers.
Selfishness: I have counseled adults who act like spoiled children, seeking happiness for themselves rather than seeking to give it to others. You can’t build a home on a foundation of self-centered behavior and then expect that home to withstand the onslaughts of the world.
Stress: Think of the stress our homes are under today. With all the stress that has come upon us…working mothers and fathers, and latch-key kids…the home has become little more than a restaurant and a garage. No wonder our society is coming apart.
Discontentment: The psalmist here is talking about the thing that is causing so many families to unravel - the matter of discontentment and materialism. He is talking about burning the candle at both ends in order to have more. But when you get more, you don’t enjoy what you have. You are not going to find real contentment until you find it in Jesus. First Timothy 6:6 says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” How sweet it is to lie down at night, whether in a tent or a palace, and know that Jesus is there with you.
VV. 3-5 (It is the Lord who blesses)
3 "Behold, children are a gift (heritage, inheritance) of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. 5How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, when they speak with their enemies in the gate." (FAMILY) Building and security are essential for a family.
The biblical writer said three things about children. The first thing he said was that—
1. Children are a gift from the Lord.
Recently a morning talk show showed a foreign commercial and asked the audience to guess what product was being advertised. The commercial showed what appeared to be a father and son shopping together in a grocery store. The son picked up a large bag of candy and put it in the shopping cart. The father put the candy back on the shelf. The son put it back in the cart. The father put it back on the shelf. The son began to beg for the candy and began to cry. He stomped his feet. He beat his fists on the cart. He ran over to a display and threw things on the floor. Then he fell on the floor and began to flail his arms and legs. Other patrons in the store cast disapproving glances at the father. The camera cut back to the father and a birth control advertisement appeared on the screen. Children are a nuisance was the message of the commercial and we are better off without them.
The Bible takes exactly the opposite view. From the beginning to the end of scripture, children are seen as a gift from the Lord. They are treasured. They are valued. Loving care is showered upon them. Jesus took little children in His arms and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16).
The second thing the biblical writer said about children is that—
2. Children are a reward from the Lord.
Gary Oliver, a professor at John Brown University and executive-director of the Center for Marriage and Family Studies, co-authored along with H. Norman Wright the book Raising Kids to Love Jesus (Regal, 1999). Dr. Oliver related in that book the experience of a man who contacted him long distance by telephone to ask for an appointment. The man’s name was Don. Don related that he grew up in a Christian home. He attended a strict Bible College that required the boys and girls to sit on opposite sides of the chapel and be accompanied on dates by chaperones. Don committed to the disciplines of regular Bible study, scripture memory, prayer, church attendance and tithing. He began each day with devotions.
Don married Margie and they had three children. Don and Margie took their children to church. They prayed every day for their children. They read the Bible to them and taught the children to read the Bible for themselves. Don and Margie would not let the children listen to contemporary music, attend movies or dances, play cards or watch television on Sundays. They wanted their children to grow up to love the Lord like their parents did. But it did not happen.
Don related to Dr. Oliver that his children were the greatest failure in his life. The children had all dropped out of church as soon as they left home. There had been a series of out-of-wedlock pregnancies followed by abortions. The children cheated, stole and even served time in prison.
Dr. Oliver listened to Don pour out the grief he felt for his wayward children. He discerned that Don had the best of intentions, but the worst of habits. Don had never taken the time to get to know his children. He had raised them in a house of rules and regulations, of laws and commandments, but he had never taken the time to develop a relationship with them. The children grew up to despise their father and to hate everything for which he stood.
Children are a “reward” from the Lord. That means that they are given to us as a gift. The first thing we need to do for our children is to love them. Whatever else love is it is time spent with the children. We love our children when we spend time with them.
The third thing the biblical writer said about children was—
3. Children are a blessing from the Lord.
The word “blessing” can also be translated as “divinely favored” or as “the person on whom God smiles.” There will be times, while you are raising your children, that you will question whether “blessing” is the word that best describes children. God did not necessarily say that it would be easy raising children. He only said that it would be wonderful.
The Lord blesses His people with children and so, He builds your homes. Also, He is the One you should ask to protect your families, to keep them safe and secure.
The NASB says here that children are a gift from the Lord.
I like that translation because it reminds me of another gift given by the Lord: eternal life. In both cases, life is a gift from God.
As with the earlier verses, as Christians you are to trust the Lord with your families. You are to lift them up to God, pray for them and seek His will in their lives.
It is one of the most difficult things, sometimes, to trust the Lord with your children, when your children are hurting, sick, or in danger.
Children are a blessing, to those who build upon the Rock of Christ, who trust in the Lord to keep them.
Conclusion
This Psalm calls you to recognize and acknowledge that God is the true builder and that all you do must be done in an attitude of humble dependence upon Him.
It calls you to look to God for your security, both on a global and in a personal level.
It calls you to trust God for your safety and the safety of your family and to recognize that God blesses His people with children. His children.
Your dependence upon God, as Christians, will not produce vain effort. If you seek God’s will in all you do and have, then it is not vain work.
On that day of judgment, when the Lord Jesus judges all the secrets of men and women and the fires of purification remove the pure works from the impure, your works will stand...if they were done for the Lord, if they were blessed by Him, if you gave to Him all that you do and have.
In humility, seek God in all you do. Seek His will. Give to Him your work, your security, your family... and He will bless you.
