The Vineyard
Dear Friends,
Psalm 127:Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.
This kind of puts life into perspective. Why do some of us work harder than the rest? Why do some of us rise earlier than others? Why do some of the same ones of us lose sleep worrying about our work, our time, our sacrifice? I can attest that I work and rise early and do, regrettably, “worry” at times because of my hopes and dreams. I understand that men are capricious and their affections can turn on a dime—-thus, who can I trust? I also know that regardless of how long and hard I work, disasters, mishaps and “bad things” happen. In my own little business I can think of over a dozen things that could go wrong and ruin all I have worked for.
The Psalmist knew these same things, but he also had learned that unless God was the architect and master planner of our lives, endeavors and enterprises, all was in vain. He keenly understood that God is our only “insurance” and security—-and he rested in that.
Nothing is wrong with hard work and rising early and toiling beyond the normal hours others toil, and there’s a lot to be said about the dangers of not working diligently and with all your heart! But if my work is solely for Him, His glory, as He has planned, and in the place and setting of His choosing I will rest. It seems that it is only when I get ahead of Him and think that I must make things happen that I get frantic, out of sorts and suffer from exhaustion.
My purpose in Christ is to be so connected to Him and His Kingdom work that I stop seeing my work as my work and instead see myself as His servant and my work as an offering to Him—and that I divorce myself some all the megalomania that plagues so many leaders and bosses. Yes, yes, even those who have dedicated to God’s work are at risk of worshipping the work instead of the One that commissioned us to work.
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)