Verse of the week

'Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain' Psalm 127:1

There's a lot to do for God, isn't there? If we're Christians, there are friends and family who need to hear about Jesus, there are friends and family who need to be encouraged to keep following Jesus, there's a church and a youth group at which to serve, there's our own praying and Bible reading to keep doing...a Christian life is a busy life.
And yet...amidst all the busy-ness, how often we need to remind ourselves of this verse. We don't build the house; God does. It's not our work that grows the kingdom of God, that builds the house of his people; it's God's work to do that. If God doesn't bless our work, it doesn't matter how hard we're working, it will be in vain. The lesson of this verse for the keen, energetic, driven Christian is to remember to rely on God's building work, and not on ours.
But that's not an excuse to down tools, stand back from the building site and watch and wait for God to finish the building. Unless God builds the house, the builders labour in vain; but if God is building the house, the builders will still labour - because God builds through his builders. God builds his kingdom through his people, he brings people's friends and families to trust in his Son through the lives and words of Christians. So this verse is also a lesson for the lazy Christian - to remember that God works through his people, through you. How are you working for God today?
There's a wonderful old song, written by a missionary a while back, whose first two lines capture the teaching of this verse, and which always brings a lump to my throat when I sing it;
'Facing a task unfinished, that drives us to our knees;
A need that undiminished, rebukes our slothful ease.'
If you're a Christian, you need to hear one of those lines today. Do you work hard for God, working on the unfinished of growing his kingdom...but forget to get onto your knees each day and beg God to build his house, beg God to use you to increase his glory? Do you work hard for God, but speak to him little? Get on your knees!
Or, do you not work hard for God? Do you get on with your easy life, hoping someone else will do the work for God. Read the second line. Look at the needs of your school, your town, your country, in such desperate need of the Word of God; and then allow your slothful, lazy ease to be rebuked. Get to work on God's building site!
If God is not at work, our work is useless; but when God is at work, he works through his people. Ask him to work through you today.