Awake in Vain
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)
Wise Solomon advised us, by the inspiration of the Spirit, to build our houses with wisdom, and not laziness or foolishness. “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Prov. 24:3–4). In that same chapter we are warned: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest — and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (Prov. 24:33–34).
If we want to succeed we should give ourselves seriously to the pursuit of our success, and not “eat the bread of idleness” (Prov. 31:27). We should diversify our risk, and apply ourselves broadly becoming the best we can in all areas. “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well” (Eccl. 11:6). We should responsibly take care of our own, for to neglect our family makes us worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8).
But, neither should forsake faith, or forget the reality of God’s faithfulness. He is not forgetful of his own. He remembers us to the last, the least, and the lost. At the end of it all, it is all in the hands of God. “He grants sleep to those he loves” (Psalm 127:2b). The sleep of hard work is sweet, but the sleep of faith is even sweeter.
Pastor James reminded his businessmen in his church of how much we do not know.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13–16)
Success, especially outlandish success, always has an element of chance, fate, or the Providential hand of God to it. Many have worked hard — harder than the competition — only to come up empty handed. Many bright minds have lost all.
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Eccl. 9:11)
Tonight let us remind ourselves that the purpose of this life here is not to become wealthy. The purpose is to prepare us for eternity. The purposes of God are not to increase our bank accounts, though he does delight in blessing his children, rather they are to draw us close to his heart so that we know him better. Many have died like the rich fool of the Bible, whose earthly wealth consumed his heart and deceived his mind from the greater issues of eternity. After a bountiful season, all he could think to do was to make greater barns, thinking that all was well. But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Luke 12:20).
Thomas a Kempis wrote, “A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover, as the love of the giver.” The only thing that is truly safe on this earth is the soul of the one who trusts in Christ. If you have done this, then let your soul rest secure in him. Let him give sleep to you tonight, “Casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Tomorrow we may all awake to find ourselves paupers, or to learn that our investments have tripled. But whether we are in poverty or in wealth, what is most important — and the only thing that truly matters — is that we are found in Christ. If we lose it all in our sleep, we will need his comfort to face the future. If we gain the whole world, we will need his wisdom to know how to handle it. But if we just have our daily bread, then we should be grateful through and through.
