August 7, 2017

REST UP, MY BELOVED

Psalm 127

Patty Snow
Monday's Devo

August 7, 2017

Monday's Devo

August 7, 2017

Central Truth

We can, through faith, rest in the Lord knowing that He will take care of our every need. 

Key Verse | Psalm 127:2

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.
(Psalm 127:2)

Psalm 127

Unless the LORD Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

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.
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.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children 1 127:4 Or sons of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. 2 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Footnotes

[1] 127:4 Or sons
[2] 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Dive Deeper | Psalm 127

When I first agreed to do this passage, my initial thought was, "Wait, why did I just sign up for that? I know nothing about parenting." As I have spent time mulling over this psalm, I have learned that this was the very passage for me to write on. You see, this passage is about so much more than parenting.

You can imagine that Solomon captures in this psalm wisdom that he learned from his father King David. Whether the message is from Solomon or David, it is one that totally resonates with me. The psalm begins with the insight that if the Lord isn't at the center of everything, then get outta there because it just ain't worth it—of course, that's my paraphrase. David, a man after God's own heart, and Solomon, the wisest man in the world, knew better than most of us what a situation can look like when God isn't at the center.  Both tried to do things their own way, and things completely backfired.

Solomon begins with the big idea and then gets to the details. Being a detail gal myself, I really appreciate his emphasis on rest. The rest he talks about is the very rest I so often struggle to find. Resting in God's Presence and Truth. God is the only One who grants us the rest we so desperately need. We can, through faith, rest in the Lord, knowing that He will take care of the very thing we can't seem to stop thinking about today. 

I love the example Jesus sets for us in Luke 8 when He sets sail across the lake with a boat full of disciples. He falls asleep until suddenly He is awakened to a boat full of men in distress. How could this Man sleep in the midst of a storm? Jesus understood the truth in this psalm. He knew that He was in his Father's hands; so instead of sea sickness and worry, He got sleep instead. I need this rest that only our God of grace can provide.

Discussion Questions

1. How do you define rest? 

2. Is it easy for you to rest or are you more of a "gotta-keep-busy" type of person? Why do you think that is?

3. What is keeping you from resting on His promises today?