September 5 — Psalm 127

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved. Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

Psalm 127 reminds us to reflect on the type of work we do and why. A lot of understanding is wrapped up in these few words. In the Christian tradition, we have seen it expressed as the great debate on the nature of grace, the debate between faith and works. Catholics, Lutherans and others now say together that G-d’s grace is the beginning of everything, but that we people are called to respond to G-d’s invitation by doing the works of G-d. Grace is not reliant upon how much we do, but Grace is what we respond to every day through our works. In is a response to the immense love G-d has for all. So yes, the Lord builds the house but, as the psalmist recognizes, there is a human laborer involved, as well. That would be you or me.

So what is our labor? What house are we building? The most important work for any of us would be developing relationships — our relationship with G-d and our relationship with our neighbors, both formed and founded in G-d’s love, which we then labor, build, cultivate and nurture. It is in our families, in our relationships with friends and neighbors, where we see the work we do bring forth blessings for the Lord. It is here where we are called, simply yet profoundly, to love one another. That is the most important work we can do for the Lord.

Let us Pray:

O God, you made your home with us in Jesus, your beloved child. May our earthly households be built on the rock of your steadfast love, that our work and our rest, our times together and our times alone, may be centered in you and enjoy your blessing; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

September 4 — Psalm 126

“When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.”

In the old religious myths of Egypt, seedtime was associated with the death of the god of fertility, and harvest was associated with his revival. The ancient tradition seems to have created an association of sowing with grief and of joy with harvest. The Psalm then uses this association as a cultural idiom. Perhaps it intends that the sowers represent the going out of the Israelites during the diaspora and that those who come carrying the sheaves of harvest represent their return.

It is true, I believe, that the Lord weeps every time someone leaves the faith — leaves the church — expresses their contempt for any hope that the church can be a healing, sustaining, and worshipful presence in the community. But when someone returns to the faith, or when one person remembers their need for the Lord, then, as Jesus says “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Let us Pray:

Faithful God, like a grain of wheat falling into the earth your Son went into death, so that after three days the earth might bloom with the joy of his rising. Let the seeds of justice, which we plant with tears, bring forth the power of the resurrection in the places of death and despair, and gather us at last into the joyful harvest of the saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.