May 8

Psalm 127

As a freshman in college, I was taking too many classes, working too many hours and involved in too many activities. The combination resulted in too little sleep. I would study up on the fourth floor of the library in the religion section. Occasionally the Campus Crusade for Christ staff would have their morning devotions there. Frequently I would fall asleep at my study desk. On one of those occasions I awoke with a handwritten note on my open text book. It simply read, “It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.”—Psalm 127:2. It was signed by one of the CCC staff women. I was confronted with the practical fact that it is the glory of the Lord to give his children sleep. If I order my life so that I am not getting enough sleep and that happens on a continual basis, then it demonstrates that I really do not trust that He will provide for me in such a way so that I will plan to take the sleep that is needed for good health. I wish I could say that I learned my lesson then. I had to relearn that lesson in seminary. As my age is catching up with me, I think that the Lord is forcing me to learn that lesson. I can no longer keep the schedules I used to keep and remain buoyant.

There is a similar lesson to be learned in relation to making the Lord the center of our families or cities. It is the glory of the Lord to provide the grace to build into our children’s lives. I really believe that some form of consistent reading of the word as parents with children is a necessary ingredient for allowing the Lord to build our families. Where else can our children see the glory of the Lord except when we read them diligently to our children, and talk of them when we sit in our houses, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. Somehow they have to hear the word and see it lived out in our lives. It has to be something that God accomplishes. He does everything through His Spirit and His Word. That is how He shows His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john