Reflect:
Psalm 127:1-2
“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was once asked if God was on his side. The president’s response was classic—and deeply profound: “It is not is God on my side, but am I on God’s side?”
That’s a great question to ask yourself in any of life’s endeavors—several of which are listed in Psalm 127. So whether it is in pursuing your personal goals (“building your house”), protecting your interests (“watching over the city”), earning a living (“rising early and stay up late toiling”), or raising your family (“a quiver full of children”), at the end of all your efforts, nothing of lasting value and eternal consequence will have been accomplished if the Lord has not helped; even more, if the Lord has not been the architect and builder of your pursuits!
And what is the best way to ensure the Lord’s help? Not just to get the Lord on your side—that can be tricky business, given the exceeding craftiness of our own motives (Jeremiah 17:9). Rather, the only surefire guarantee of the Lord’s help is to get on God’s side—and stay there.
Perhaps Lincoln’s question is a good one to ask yourself today: “Am I on God’s side?” Are my goals God-given? Are my interests dedicated to his purpose? Is my work his work? Is my family set apart for his glory?
If you are nervous about being able to answer those questions in a God honoring way, then wouldn’t you say it is time to recalibrate your life so that from the center to the circumference, you are aligned with God’s purposes?
I hope you will join me today for a little recalibration. If we can pull that off, we’ll be in good standing to get the Lord’s help. And like the Apostle Paul, the testimony of our life will be, “But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.” (Acts 26:22)
“We cannot help conforming ourselves to what we love.” ~Francis de Sales
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