The Builder

In my Bible reading earlier this week, there was a verse in a passage of scripture that really caught my attention.  I have read this verse before and can even quote it; however it took more significance this week.  The verse is Psalm 127:1

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

I am somewhat of a thinker, not so much philosophical, more pragmatic.  My friends can probably testify that I am a "black & white" person and that's how things appear in my head.  All that to say, I have been thinking a lot recently and mulling over things happening around me.

One of the things that has impacted me slowly but surely is the "personal confession" moment my friend Josh had earlier this year.  It has radically changed his outlook on life.  The confession is a simple yet powerful one and that is JESUS IS LORD.  I have adopted that confession and confess each morning as I roll out of bed and even throughout the day, I hear it in my head.

I desperately want Jesus to be Lord of my life, every aspect of it.  Like most people, I like to be in control, so this new practice of confession/submission has been not always easy but really good for me.

In light of the "confession" and the mission we are trying to accomplish as a church, the Psalm 127:1 verse really resonated with me.  I quickly stopped to ponder if I had taken the Lord out of the equation in building "His House."  I get to pastor a relatively big group of people and these people are watching my life, so I am trying my best to model Jesus.  It is so easy to rely on the talented people we have around us to build something and I believe that will be devastating.  Last night we had a meeting with one of our leadership teams and it was excellent.  What was exciting to me, was to hear these leaders share their hearts and see that they too have a desire (prayer, Bible reading, etc) to have Jesus as Lord of their lives and what we do to build the church.

More thinking later, I found I was asking myself again who was building my house.  I thought about being a single guy and how easy it is for me to coast through life and not think about the "house" I am building.  I thought about my friends and family here and back in Singapore, people whose houses are not in order and I was saddened by that.  Regardless of whether or not I have my own little family in the future, I have been challenged to declare that Jesus is Lord and that same Lord is the one building my house.

Who is your builder today?  Try confessing Jesus is Lord and making Him your custom home builder.