Today and tomorrow, I’d like to look at Psalm 127. The Psalm is very familiar in teaching the Lord builds a house and children are a blessing from the Lord.
Today, I’m focusing on Psalm 127:1-2.
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Psalm 127:1-2
The first thing I notice is that my work as a parent, and specifically a mother, should be dependent on God. I don’t have to think about all the “work” of mothering as a task I do alone. In fact, if I’m trusting God, he has the primary responsibility to bless my home and my family.
It’s easy to focus on ourselves and what “we do”. We probably even tell our family things like, “I clean this house” or “I do everything” around here. For mothers, these are raw and real feelings. Just this week, I walked into the kitchen after finding the 3rd or 4th mess of the day, and I scolded my children and said, “I clean this kitchen ALL. THE. TIME.”
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of “I do this…” and “I do that…” focusing on ourselves, but this verse is Psalms says all my work is in vain, unless I come to depend on God and trust him to build my home and grow the faith of my children.
The work of a mother can seem never-ending. When our children our babies, they are completely dependent on us for everything. As they grow into toddlers, they are still very needy, and learning so many new things. As they get older, they start to be more independent, but they still need our help and guidance. As we go through this journey with our children, realize you have the greatest project manager in charge controlling all things.
The next time you are tempted to say, “I do …. fill-in your family project”, stop, pray and ask God to bless your work and grow your work beyond anything you can imagine. I’m going to work on this habit, too.
