“The essential underpinning”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Psalm 127 (Forward, p. 22) CEV p. 636
Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that proper foundations are ‘foundational’, that is, essential, to the stability and structural integrity of a building. So, what about our lives: what is it that we, you and I, build upon? What are our foundations, our underpinnings?
To look just at the concluding verses of today’s psalm—verses 3-5—might lead a person into thinking that having a large family, lots of kids, to support you in your old age, is the answer. But to conclude that is to miss out on what the rest of the psalm says.
The psalm as a whole states most emphatically that only the Lord can give us that stability that we need:
-it is useless, a waste of time, to try to build a home or guard a city without God’s help.
-and likewise, to get up early and stay up late to earn a living is also a waste. It is useless as God looks after His own and gives them their necessary sleep.
-and even the much-heralded importance of children needs to be seen in light of their being God’s gift in the first place.
So, it is evident throughout the psalm that God is there for us, that He cares and that He provides—which means, obviously, that we should be all the quicker to go to Him in prayer with whatever our needs might be. This is not to say that we don’t do anything ourselves, don’t work or make efforts, but, having done so, leave the rest to God. As one wag put it, “Work as if it all depends on you, and pray as if it all depends on God.” It is a kind of divine-human partnership, one in which we ask God for direction and ask Him to help and bless our efforts.
Forward notes: “Children are a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is a gift. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth” (verses 4-5).
“In the time of David, children were considered a gift of security against the enemies of the parents. Most of us today are not thinking about protection or economic security when we have our children. I see my own as my legacy, which also makes me responsible for the world I leave to them.
“We are the stewards of God’s resources and caretakers of this heritage. But our time on earth is finite, and I may not be around to see the impact of my poor decisions. Living in the high desert has made me keenly aware of how much and how often I use water. Many of the resources I take for granted are becoming scarce and divided unfairly.
“So how do I begin to correct the damage I have wrought on earth to protect the heritage for all children? I pray for the strength and courage to act in sacrificial ways, showing love for my neighbour and for all the fruits of God’s creation.”
Moving Forward: “How hopeful are you for God’s children? Are you doing your part to secure their heritage?”