“If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain. It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep. Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.” Psalms 127:1-5 NET https://bible.com/bible/107/psa.127.1-5.NET
What are we living for? A beautiful family? Wealth? Security? All these things are a blessing from the Lord to the person who makes Him the first priority in their life. Ignoring God while striving for good things is jeopardizing our eternal soul and still not obtaining what we had hoped for in this life. God gives generously to those who love Him generously. This is all God requires of us: to love Him most and to love others as we love ourselves. How do we love God most? How do we love our spouses most? We spend time with them. We show them kindness by doing good to them, speaking well of them, and serving their needs and interests. We love God by spending time with Him daily in prayer and reading His Word. Inviting His Spirit into our fellowship, we experience His presence as we meet with Him. God is near to those who draw near to Him. Spending time with God daily is necessary for loving God well. We learn His ways from His Word. Then, we do good to God when we obey His commands. By loving others, doing what is right toward others, and helping people become reconciled to God by faith in Jesus the Savior, we demonstrate our love for God in good works. Making obedience to God our highest priority after spending time with God results in the blessing of God upon our lives, for we become children with whom He is well pleased. Sin in the world will still impact the person who loves God most and first, but it will not have its devastating effect, for God will be our very present help in trouble for those who delight in Him and in obeying His commands.
