See God’s Hand – ‘Unless the Lord Builds the House’ 

By Roxanne Drury 

I had a conversation with someone quite a while ago and explained that the philosophy of our church as a whole is that every single ministry at our church belongs to God – it is His church, they are His ministries – and He can do as He pleases with them and we trust Him in that. We, the staff, and every volunteer get to participate in what He is doing. I explained that all that happens in our church and its ministries is because of Him, for Him, by Him, to bring Him glory, and to point people to Him. And here’s why: 

“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.” – Psalm 127:1 

When I told my friend this, tears filled her eyes. She had some church hurt and bitterness from a previous church, so she was pleased to hear this. I further explained that we wouldn’t have it any other way. 

In adopting this philosophy, remember, whether in a church or life in general: 

When things change –  you can see God’s hand. 

When things go right – you can see God’s hand. 

When things go wrong – you can see God’s hand. 

He is in charge! It’s all His. There is no room for pity parties or getting bent out of shape because it’s not about you. It’s all about Him. 

Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” 

Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” 

God has proven to be good and faithful over and over again in my life and I am sure yours. Lamentations 3:22-25 speaks about God’s faithfulness and reminds us that God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. In His faithfulness, God provides, guides, and blesses. But we must be willing to seek Him, wait, and even take no for an answer. 

I cringe when I think about how often I have begun a project and then asked the Lord to bless it. I had it backward. I learned that no matter how much time and effort I put into that project, how much sleep I lost over it, or how much stress it caused me, all my work was in vain without seeking the Lord first and getting His thumbs up. His stamp of approval is the foundation upon which all my work and my life must be laid. When we fail to check with Him first, our plans are more prone to fall apart. There, my friends, is the lesson. 

This reminds me of a parable Jesus told about two men who were each building a house. One built his house on sand, and one built his house on rock. When the winds and rain came, the house built on sand was destroyed. But the house built on the solid foundation of rock stood firm (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus is that firm foundation. With the Lord as the foundation, you are, in essence, recognizing Him as the builder. You allow Him to lead the charge rather than the other way around. I see it as a matter of trust. Do you trust Him or not? 

“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. In vain, you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those He loves.” – Psalm 127:1-2 

Allow Him to build your house, work, and life to bring Him glory in His timing. Seek God’s will and blessing first, and you will be on solid ground, living in the grace of the Master Builder. 

Roxanne Drury is a wife, mother, grandmother, and retired Christian preschool teacher who served the Lord in children’s ministry for over 45 years. She has written a group study guide on Psalm 23, as well as other books. She may be reached at [email protected].