When You Build Without The Lord You Have Nothing; Psalm 127 (day 26)

For this lent season, I am doing a forty-day study in the Psalms looking for aspects of the atonement that will end around Easter. My hope is to generate a newfound awe of what Christ did on the cross.

Psalm 127:1-2

[127:1] 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. [2] 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.

What an amazing Psalm right? The Psalmist is telling us our work means nothing unless it's God doing the work. Can you ask yourself honestly how often you build things without God, or protect your family without God? You know that we can’t actually even read the Bible without God? Sounds crazy right? Or how many times have we planned something and then ask God to bless it rather than praying that God would build the plan for you. As I look for the cross in the Psalms I look at these types of Scriptures and I know that the cross doesn't jump out at you. So, I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to the cross in these Scriptures. I don't have to shoehorn the cross in this Scripture but what I do see is my ability to do things in my own strength. So this Psalm reminds me not to walk in my own strength but walk in the strengths given to me by Christ and Him crucified. Paul says that the power of God comes through the cross

1 Corinthians 1:18

[18] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Paul also says in the next chapter not to put your faith in man but in the power of God and we know the power of God is in the cross.

1 Corinthians 2:2-5

[2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

           

Paul concludes that everything he's going to do in his life as a human being on earth will come out of the cross of Jesus. Everything he plans will come out of the cross. His whole life will be centered on what Christ accomplished on the cross. That means that everything we do is going to come out of the strengths of God that comes in the face of our risen Savior Jesus Christ. Our life should be measured on what God accomplished not what we accomplish.