This morning I read these wise words from King Solomon: "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." (Psalm 127:1-3)

Here, Solomon is addressing the sin of neglecting sleep and time with our family because of working too much. Yes, work is good, but like all good things, it becomes a bad thing when we make it an idol. Our God is a God who works, and He made us in His image. So, yes, work is good, and we should "work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Col. 3:23). But overworking isn't good. We need to know our limits, and we need to establish healthy boundaries. God Himself rested from His work on the seventh day after working for six days. If the Almighty, infinite Creator rested from His work, then His limited, finite creatures certainly should rest as well.

Now some people may overwork because they have no other option. In order to keep their jobs, they are required to work an unhealthy amount of hours. But when we intentionally choose to overwork, we reveal an idol in our hearts. We are looking to our work to fill the void in our hearts that only God can. We overwork because our faith is in ourselves. We must produce. We must provide. We must save the day. Or maybe we overwork because we find our identity in our work. We want to be the best worker there is so that we can win the respect of our peers.

But a better path is to find the balance between work and rest. We need to work hard, but then we also need to know when to stop working and trust in the Lord. When we work hard, but then also get the appropriate amount of sleep and time with our family, we are showing by our actions that our trust is in the Lord. We are acknowledging that He is God, and we are not. Sometimes the most godly thing you can do is rest. If we do not trust in the Lord to build the house, then all of our labor is in vain.

Sunday morning worship is a Saturday night decision! One of the best ways to get the most out of our time together in corporate worship is to come prepared, going to bed early on Saturday night, and by reviewing the sermon text, our song list, and our responsive readings. To help you prepare for Sunday worship, I've provided each element of our worship below for your review prior to Sunday.

 

In Christ,

Hunter Hanson