A Life Verse
Psalm 127:1 NKJV
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
Maybe you have heard the term "life verse." It is not a biblical term, but it does have a meaning tied into the Scriptures. A life verse is one of the scriptures that God has used to speak to you and guide your life. Maybe it was a verse that helped you see truth and turn around. Or a verse that has been foundational in your walk with the Lord, a verse you go back to time and time again. A life verse is a verse with special meaning to you. And our verse for today is a life verse for me.
This verse has always spoken to me about the importance of having the Lord in whatever I do. As a person who has tried to build his own house without the Lord's instruction and direction, I know firsthand. When the Lord is in it, the house gets built. That does not mean that everything is easy. What it does mean is that there is a sense that God's hand and Spirit are behind the process.
At the end of the 80's, Joy and I moved our family from Texas to North Carolina to start a church. The Lord had been impressing on my heart that I was going to be a pastor, and I jumped the gun. We tried unsuccessfully to start a church in my hometown but realized the mistake and shut the effort down. That was painful. Then we looked for a place where we believed the Lord had called us to in North Carolina but could find no peace. We moved back to Texas at the Lord's leading and watched as He blessed my sales career. But I could not shake the impression in my heart that I was supposed to be a pastor. So we spent, or better said, wasted a lot of time looking for an existing church to take over. Surely someone needed a pastor. But in my case, surely not. My efforts to build a house were not turning out well.
Fast forward to 1996, when I finally agreed to start another church. I can't say I was full of faith and vision. But I sensed that this time the Lord was in it. With $1,500 and two other couples, we started The Ark. When the Lord builds the house, it just works. Oh, we have certainly faced challenges; it has not been an easy ride. But if the Lord is helping you, it's a great ride!
So the question I like to ask as we look at new ventures, or new employees, or new opportunities is, Is the Lord in it? Is He building this house, or am I trying to build it myself? There will always be our part to play in anything we do for the Lord. But I want to make sure I am not building by myself.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for Your leadership in my life. I am following You and not wanting to act on my own. I want to be a part of what You are building. And when I do, Youreceive all the glory.