A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

Who Is Building Your House?

In the art world, paintings are known by the personality and character of the creator. Experts can easily detect a painting by Claude Monet in contrast to the style of Picasso. Music has a defined style that can distinguish arrangements by Mozart from Beethoven and vice versa. The world of literature is determined by the style of writers such as Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Each has a distinctive style, setting them apart from others. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright created such a defined building style that it was easy to identify the buildings he designed. The buildings he designed showed the handiwork of a master’s touch.

There is another building that is created far above the world of human wisdom. The eternal spirit of man was created by the hand of God to give glory and honor to his maker. Man was created from the dust of the ground, and the woman was formed from man’s rib. God united these two creatures together as man and woman to be husband and wife. Everything the man and woman needed for happiness was provided in abundance. Because of the deceitfulness of the devil, Adam and Eve lost paradise because they listened to the lies of the deceiver rather than the word of God. Man disobeyed the word of the Lord, but God did not leave man without His witness. From the moment Adam and Eve stepped out of the garden, the Lord instructed man on how to find happiness.

Life took a dramatic change for Adam and Eve, but they trusted in God. The Lord revealed His will to the world; many obeyed, but many did not. In the days of Noah, only eight people would be saved from destruction. They followed the plan given to them by God to be saved. Generations later, the children of Abraham became the nation of Israel. The Lord told the Hebrews if they obeyed Him, He would bless them abundantly. If they refused to obey the word of the Lord, the wrath of God would come upon them. Israel did not listen, and the Lord destroyed His Beloved. Jesus Christ came to bring all men to the Father. The world rejected Jesus and killed Him. Through the death of Jesus, God established His plan to redeem men through the church. God has provided the answer to the plight of humanity in these last days.

Solomon was the wisest man of his day, but the truth he gleaned was not new. The son of David writes that unless the Lord establishes the character of a man’s heart, there is nothing to live for. A building must have a designer and builder. The heart of man is the building that will never die. Unless the Lord establishes man’s heart, he lives a foolish and unprofitable life. God made man in the beginning, providing everything he needed to fulfill his purpose. Jesus Christ came to bring the abundant life to those who follow Him. When a man establishes his life without God, he is a fool. There is no value to live a lifetime without God because it will not end well. The temptation that Satan allures the world with is to deny God and live for self. That is a fool’s errand. If a man will not form his life around the word of God, he is wasting his life and endangering his eternal soul. God created man and knows everything he needs and how to bring him the greatest measure of happiness. Human wisdom has never brought man fulfillment.

Solomon reminds the soul of man that failure awaits unless the Lord guards the heart. A poorly designed building will not last. Buildings fail because of the failure of its builder. Lives fail because of the failure of those who live for themselves, seeking the pleasures of life and not God. There is an absolute about the word of God that must be read and understood. If God is not the center of your life, you are a fool and wasting your life. You are building something in vain. There is nothing you can do to guard your life from perdition if you don’t have God. The Lord created us to rely on Him and seek His blessings. Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessings will come down. Examine your life. Who is building your life? The Gospel of Two declares there are only two builders: God and Satan. Which one is building your house (life)?