Summer in the Psalms
Read: Psalm 127:1-5
1 Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.
2 In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food—
yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
offspring, a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
They will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
Transformation Questions:
- Pastor Zach asked three questions that went along with this psalm. The first question was, “who is building your house?” How do we make sure that God is the architect of our lives?
- Solomon talks about the vanity of doing things in your own strength. This psalm correlates with his laments in Ecclesiastes. Why is work in our own strength vain? What about people who seem to accomplish a lot without living for the Lord? What makes their work vain?
- Anxiety is a very real issue in our society today. Why, if we live in the wealthiest society in the history of the world, with the best access to food and medicine, do we as Americans struggle with anxiety so much, in your opinion?
- Pastor Zach shared about William Cowper’s hymn, “God moves in mysterious ways.” While we all acknowledge this fact with our heads, why is it so hard to trust God in difficult circumstances?
- The second question Pastor Zach asked was “are your children arrows or jewelry?” Now, whether or not you have kids, the idea is are we training the next generation to be on mission for Christ or just to pursue comfort. What are ways that we can ensure we are discipling the next generation to pursue Christ and his mission over comfort?
- The last questions Pastor Zach asked was “will our homes age well?” As we grow older, we need to have those we have discipled come along side us. Why is the church so important in insuring that we are cared for as we age?
- Who is an older person in your life that you could bless? Why would you want to bless them and how would you bless them?
- How does the gospel help us finish well and build a house that lasts?