Building in Vain?

On my morning walk down the driveway and back,

I often ponder upon the goodnesss and greatness of our God. 

I had been thinking about how our heavenly father has, in his great mercy, bestowed upon our family a multitude of blessings during our lodge building process.

Likewise, God has been building for our family a large spiritual bank account during this time. 

The Psalmist said, 

"Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it, unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen stays awake in vain." (Ch 127:1)

That has always been a puzzlement to me, until we began the lodge. 

It then became clear to me that it must be God's building plan for our families, and nothing nothing else. No "Jesus plus."

God's building plan is NOT: take our family to church, period, end of spiritual life...until next Sunday. God's building plan is NOT: homeschool, so our children do not have to go to public school. Homeschooling is not a means to and end, 

and will not cause your children to turn out right.

Or have a different mindset than the world.

God's building plan is not: "Do what I say not what I do."

Nor is it: Love Jesus AND follow all these rules so that you too can please the (ever hard to please) Heavenly Father.
God's blue prints are clear in the Bible, and if we do not follow them we will indeed labor in vain, having spent our parenting years for naught,

as our children turn their back on our convictions and walk with the world. 

This seems so obvious, but I believe far too many have bought 

the LIE; that rules and regulations, along with church attendance, will produce godly children.

I have noticed that children will tend to be just like their parents.

When I see outstanding children, I perk up and think, 

there is a godly parent lurking behind the scenes here, someone who has done their homework about God's Truth and discipled their children just as Deuteronomy 6:4-7 commands, or Proverbs 22:6.

God's building plan tells us to work hard,
dilegently,
and with fear,
because the days are short,
making disciples, the first of whom are our children.
This means besides work, there is much self sacrifice.
Gone must be the agendas to get this done, or go enjoy that, 
perhaps a favorite hobby must be put on hold for a different season.
We sacrifice for the souls of our children, and if we get distracted from that focus,
we are easily ensnared and rerouted onto the fruitless and vain road.

If we are selfish, harsh, easily angered people, how could we possibly expect our children to grow up emulating God?
But, if our lives, on a daily basis, are God focused,
yielded,
and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit at work through us,
our home will be filled with good and pleasant things;

like children who rise up and call their mother blessed,
and young men who seek wisdom, because their father has taken the time to spiritually mentor them and teach them and model for them what a man who loves Jesus looks like.
This is a daddy who is blessed because he has done the hard things.
His wife is a fruitful vine,
and he is not ashamed when he goes out among the brethren.
This is the mother who set aside the things she likes to do to care for and train her children,
while loving her husband and living a Proverbs 31 life.
She is tired, because it is taxing and exhausting work, but her sleep is sweet.
She knows she is doing well for her household.

Are we laboring in vain?
It is a daily question I must ask myself.
A moment by moment decision I must make to follow God's plan and do the hard things before I sit down to enjoy my favorite past time.
A purpose to do my best to train my children in the truths of the Bible,
and model before them how to live that out in a daily walk with our Saviour.

I have a framed copy of this hymn in my bedroom, for constant encouragement:

"O give us homes built firm upon the Savior, where Christ
is head and Counselor and guide;

Where every child is taught his love and favor and gives
his heart to Christ, the crucified..O give us homes with godly fathers, mothers,
who always place their hope and trust in Him; whose tender patience turmoil
never bothers, whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim; A home where each
finds joy in serving others, and love still shines, tho days be dark and grim."