Written by Paul Lane
The Word
Prosperity Comes from the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
127 Unless the Lord builds a house,
They who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord guards a city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is futile for you to rise up early,
To [Lit sit late]stay up late,
To eat the bread of painful labor;
This is how He gives to His beloved sleep.3 Behold, children are a [Or heritage]gift of the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.Psalm 127:1-5 (NASB)
Reflection
The beautiful thing about the Psalms is that they are so full of wisdom, values, and clear moral direction. When you become a Christian, you are entering a new world. It is a world full of life and possibilities. However, it is a world that functions only one way: according to God’s plan and direction. And for you to experience the wonder of it all, you must follow the blueprint that God has already laid out.
Imagine you won an all expenses paid trip to France and you had a meal at the most wonderful restaurant. Now imagine that after the meal, the chef comes by to see how you enjoyed his cooking. Then you tell him how wonderful the meal was, and that you would love to be able to make it at home yourself. The chef takes a real liking to you. He gives you the recipes, along with a collection of instructional videos to help you learn his techniques. He even gives you his cell number and email, and he tells you to call him anytime you have questions.
Well when you first arrive home, you might have all the energy and good intentions to begin to follow the chef’s instructions, but your old life might get in the way. Your success at following those instructions will depend on your willingness to take on the new values that the chef has taught you. When his instructions say to only get certain types of vegetables, or to only buy certain cuts of meat, or to prepare the sauce a certain way, your willingness to hold to his values will drive your willingness to go out of your way to do it as instructed. If you do not maintain that value, you will not cook the chef’s meal.
Application
If you intend to participate in the work of God’s Kingdom, you must take on God’s values. As you read the Psalms, pay attention to the things that are valued. Pray that the Lord reveals to you values that you hold to that do not quite match the values in God’s Word. Pray also that God reveal to you why your values do not match the Bible and that God would change your heart.
In this Psalm, it is clear that children are seen as valuable gifts. If you are having trouble understanding this value, pray about it and let the Lord heal you. God intends to give you a gift, and there may be something preventing you to receive it. If God intends to give you a gift, it is reasonable to assume that He is also willing to prepare your heart to receive it.
Prayer
I pray, oh Lord, that You open my heart to Your kingdom and that You teach me how to order my steps right. Show me what things are truly valuable and what things can be discarded from my life. Lead me into Your ways, oh Lord, that I might be found standing upright in my own heart. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
City Life Starter 
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