The Master Builder

3 | Page The Master Builder AND Armed Response 127 If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ps 127:1–2). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress. This Psalm is believed to relate to the building of the temple of Solomon. While in this context it refers to a physical structure or building, it also applies to us in a spiritual sense. And this is the application we will utilise today. The Titanic as an indestructable vessel. 1. God Must Builds for Us Yahweh builds your house. This name “Yahweh” reveals God’s nature in the highest and fullest sense possible. It includes, or presupposes, the meaning of the other names. Yahweh particularly stresses the absolute faithfulness of God. Yahweh, then, is the name par excellence of Israel’s God. As Yahweh he is a faithful covenant God who, having given his Word of love and life, keeps that Word by bestowing love and life abundantly on his own. Van Groningen, G. (1988). God, Names Of. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 884). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House. The house is not the building. The house is people in it. So unless God builds, we only build shacks. This here is referred to spiritual building. We can only be built spiritually as we spend time in the study of God’s word. 1.1. When we build, without God we build insecure, and destructible buildings. The translation above implies that we are incapable of building sustainable spiritual lives without God. And if we do we build shacks. We have seen what happens to shacks in a squatter camp when there is a fire. These shacks are utterly destroyed and the material is no longer reusable. We have seen what happens to people’s lives when they wish to take charge of themselves. Some lives are utterly destroyed and very often not reusable. When God builds he builds for eternity – Ps 78:69” He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that He established forever. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ps 78:69). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers. In other words when we allow God to build us spiritually, He does so forever. 1.2. When we build ourselves spiritually, individually and collectively, with the word of God, we build together. We build ourselves and each other, therefore God builds with us. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” 2. God Must Guard over Us – Ps 121:3, 4 “He will not let your fo[ot slip], and He who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watch[es over Is]rael will neither slumber nor sleep Abegg, M., Jr., Flint, P., & Ulrich, E. (1999). The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: The Oldest Known Bible Translated for the First Time into English (Ps 121:3–4). New York: HarperOne. ” By virtue of this promise we can be assured that God watches over us. When we place a spiritual hedge around us through the study of God’s word and prayer, we allow God to guard over us. We can neglect to build this spiritual hedge but then stand the risk of a security breach. When we fortify ourselves spiritually, we fortify against security breaches. 3. God Must give Us Rest – Ps 3:5; “5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.” The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ps 3:5). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers. Ps 4:8, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ps 4:8). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mt 6:33–34). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. Matt 6:33, 34.