Scripture: “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.” – (24:27)
Observation: Our key verse today stresses the importance of doing everything in the proper order. In Biblical times, the society was agrarian. They raised livestock and grew crops. This verse speaks to the wisdom of having food and resources for one’s future before spending time on less critical things.
Application: The old saying, “Don’t put the cart before the horse” really aligns with today’s verse. Prioritizing is so important in determining what we should do and when, otherwise, we may be in for a very unsuccessful outcome for our efforts. Without proper planning and preparation, plans rarely come to fruition. It takes wisdom and patience to have the proper foundation for success.
Preparation sometimes means we have to postpone something we really want to do until we have done the necessary groundwork. For example, if I want to play the violin, I should not rush out to purchase a genuine Stradivarius before learning to play the instrument. Taking lessons and determining if I have the interest and skills needed to play would be the foundation necessary prior to purchasing an expensive violin.
It is the same in our spiritual lives. Our hearts must be right in the sight of God before we can serve Him. Preparing the foundation for our work for the Lord begins with our salvation, that is, accepting Christ’s forgiveness of sins and making Him Lord of our lives. Once we have done that, we then begin to learn more about Him from the Bible through church and Sunday school attendance, as well as our own personal times of study. As we grow in our faith, God begins to show us areas that need more work in our lives to better equip us to serve Him. In Luke 14:28, Jesus teaches, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”
Once the foundation has been laid, through prayer and godly counsel, we seek the Lord’s direction in what to do. Serving Christ is a joy, but it is not to be taken lightly. Without the proper foundation, our work is less effective and can even mislead others. With Jesus leading us, we can confidently go out and be builders of the faith!
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word that gives me all I need to have a strong foundation in You. Thank You for those You have placed in my life to teach me and help me learn more about You. Strengthen my foundation in You that I might serve You better and reach others for the cause of Christ. Thank You for the opportunities You have provided for me to serve You. In Your precious name and with thanksgiving, I pray. Amen.
The wise man built his house upon the rock. The wise man built his house upon the rock.
The wise man built his house upon the rock. And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rains came down, and the floods came up, and the house on the rock stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand. And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rains came down, and the floods came up.
The rains came down, and the floods came up, and the house on the sand fell down.
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ. Build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessings will come down.
The blessings come down as your prayers go up, the blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up, so build your life on the Lord.
(from “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” by Ann Omley)
**********
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”. – Psalm 127:1