There are many people who are building a life without God—and it seems to be working just fine. They live in nice houses, have good jobs, and enjoy excellent health. God isn’t a blip on their radar and yet they are blessed in this manner, in some cases, above and beyond many followers of Jesus.
Does that make any sense?
It doesn’t to the person who insists on measuring everything in a here-and-now, materialistic manner. But to those who know that God is the Father of everyone, it isn’t difficult to process. They understand that because all are known intimately and loved ultimately by Him, He sends blessings their way. As Jesus told it, the rain doesn’t fall on just the righteous.
Psalm 127 helpfully reminds us that everything everyone has is from our Father. They might boast about what they have done, but the truth is, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Everything from the security of our city, to the food we eat, to the peaceful sleep we enjoy is a gift from Him. There is no such thing as an isolated, independent person who did it all on their own. The self-made man or woman is a myth. Such a person does not and could not exist.
As the pilgrims drew near Jerusalem, they were highly conscious of God’s role in establishing the city, the temple, and everything else there. They were coming together with people from all over Israel at the appointed time and in the appointed place. It didn’t take an Einstein to understand that.
But the same psalm informs them that the homes and hearths they left behind were just as much His work as the splendid city. The children who straggled along in the caravan were “a heritage from the Lord . . . a reward from Him” (v. 5). You didn’t have to take a trip to encounter the blessings of God—they were all around you!
Our lives deepen when we are open to seeing beneath the surface.
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 