Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it, unless the Lord guards the city the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early or retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors ; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep"
We have a family friend that works from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning. How different it must be for them to go to work while everyone else is going to sleep. There are multitudes of people in hospitals, the airlines, the military, and factories that are working while we're sleeping. God made our bodies with an inner clock that prompts us to sleep at night while it's dark. It must be quite an effort for them to adjust their normal sleep patterns.
Psalm 127 may be my favorite Psalm, because the writer, Solomon, received wisdom from God when he was sleeping. After all, what can be more restful than sleeping. Here's an encouraging word for people who work all day and night…unless God builds your business, you labor in vain. Do you believe that? If you're going to bed late, waking up early, can't sleep, and are full of worry and anxiety, it is in vain! "Painful labors" is a Hebrew idiom for worry.
"He gives to His beloved even in his sleep". While you sleep, God goes out ahead of you and prepares things for the coming day. God works the night shift! While you're sleeping, He's working. Then as dawn breaks, everything's ready for you. So, how should you wake up every morning? Thanking God, and saying "I can't wait to see the day You have prepared for me!" God is saying to all of us, "Don't believe everything depends on you!" Let's let God work behind the scenes on our behalf, day and night.
