3 By WISDOM A HOUSE IS BUILT,
and through UNDERSTANDING it is ESTABLISHED ;
4 through KNOWLEDGE ITS ROOMS ARE FILLED
with rare and beautiful treasures. Proverbs 24
There are a vast number of references for the word, ‘HOUSE’ in God’s Word. The one above is from Proverbs 24 and lists three separate phases for creating a House, Building, Establishing and Filling/Furnishing, with three equivalent and similar attributes for achieving each phase, Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge. The building of the structure is only the beginning, making it lasting and securing the house takes much longer. Furnishing it, ‘making the house into a home’ all takes time and money to bring to completion and there are many decisions to be taken.
27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house. Proverbs 24
There’s a Biblical order for building, don’t start to build until you’ve got your ‘fields ready’, I understand this to mean that we have provision to build.
24 “Therefore EVERYONE (No Exceptions) WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE IS LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7
The Lord Himself used the example of a House to speak Truth and Life to the people listening to Him. Contrast this with the following statements of Jesus about those who build apart from Him.
26 But everyone (Again No Exceptions) who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7
1 UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE,
THE BUILDERS LABOUR IN VAIN.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat –
for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127
There’s a huge amount of work in building a house, from planning, to design, construction, decorating and furnishing. One of the powerful truths the Lord warns us here in this short psalm is WE NEED TO INVOLVE THE LORD or all our efforts could be for nothing. I think of the wisdom in the words of Amanda Grace, ‘Get the Lord involved early’. Doing things independently without the help of the Lord is unwise and may position us for a snare of the enemy. Simply put, we don’t see everything ahead that the Lord sees, so we need His help and guidance. Whatever you’re building seek the Lord for His help and guidance.
God bless and keep you today and throughout this week.