Following God’s Lead

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it . . . (Psalm 127:1) 
 
For months, we on the board of campus ministry were focused on our fundraising auction. As chair of the board, I met frequently with a young woman who had offered to lead our efforts. Then, a month before the event, she said she just couldn’t handle the responsibility and bowed out. After that, the volunteer we had depended upon to manage the decorations had a family emergency and was not able to help after all. My mother went into hospice care, and I became distracted. The week of the event, the auctioneer backed out. As I began to panic, I recalled the story of Gideon. God instructed Gideon to reduce his army in order to show the Israelites that God was delivering the people. Gideon followed God’s instruction and overcame the Midianites. At the board meeting, we realized that God was speaking through our situation. We did not need an army; we needed to refocus on the purpose of the event and depend on God. So we prayed for God to take control. Even though our reservation numbers were bleak, we remained certain that God would provide. Our attendance was much lower than the previous year, yet our income more than doubled. When we listen in prayer and follow God’s lead, God will sustain us. 
 
Remind us, O God, that our plans mean nothing if you are not in them. Amen. 
 
When I read this devotion I was reminded of a powerful saying, little is much when God is in it. No matter what you may be facing, even when things may look bleak, as today’s devotion mentions, remember, God will provide. He will sustain us. Listen in prayer and follow God’s lead. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Psalm 37:25). Follow His lead, you will not regret it. 
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord! 
 
Today’s Reading is 2 Timothy 1:7


Life In Vain: Your House

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

In the Bible, the building of a house can often be referred to as your life or family (Genesis 16:2, Ruth 4:11, 2 Corinthians 5:1-4). The most important part when building a house, or any building for that matter, is the foundation.

All of our lives are built on foundations which determine their direction. Jesus tells us in a parable that when we build our house on a foundation of our own choosing, it ends up crumbling when the bad times happen (Matthew 7:24-27). When we build our own foundation, instead of a foundation that is on Christ and his words, we build it in vain. All the hard work we put in ends up crumbling down from one thing, or another.

As we lay the foundation for our lives on Jesus, we allow him to do the heavy lifting. When we let God construct the foundation, He is the one who ends up building our house and the direction of our lives. When this happens, all things work for our good (Romans 8:28) and when the storms of this life come, we are still left standing (Matthew 7:24-27). We also begin to pray that not our will, but His will be done (Luke 22:42). We find our lives are no longer built in vain, but on a foundation that will never fail.

Examine the foundation your life is laid on, and be encouraged today that you can start anew with Christ as your foundation.

One question crossed my mind when I read this, What foundation is your life laid on, is it a foundation of your own choosing or is it built on Christ and His words? Let’s ponder on this today and answer honestly.

Have a wonderful day in The Lord!

Today’s Reading is Matthew 7:24-27