Quote from Open up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

June 5
Unless the Lord Builds the House

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 127:1-2 | 2 Samuel 23:24- 24:25 | Acts 3:1-26 | Proverbs 16:21-23

Today’s Scripture Focus: Acts 2

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. (Psalm 127:1 ESV)

Too much of our labor is in vain. Instead of getting God’s vision for a project, we press ahead with our own designs. Instead of getting God’s heart for the situation, we ask God to bless our desires. Instead of trusting God for his strength to accomplish the project, we rely on our own strength and find ourselves burned out and ineffective.

God has purposes and plans for each of our lives. His plans are always good. We do well to find out his “blueprints” and build our lives accordingly.

God has purposes and plans for his “houses of prayer” too. We do well to seek out his purpose, his mission and his vision for our church. As we find his heart and mind, we will labor in his strength and for his purposes.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s purpose prevails (Prov. 19:21). It is imperative that we hear from God first before pressing ahead with our designs. The Lord’s work must be done according to his design and in his power. “Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain.”

The other side to that is this: In his strength, we can do all things. In him, all things are possible. And in his power, he is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. Let’s seek his heart and mind. Let’s get his blueprint. As he reveals it to us, let’s work diligently in his wisdom and in his strength.