The Invisible Hands

“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.” (Ps 127:1)

Success requires one to work hard with his own hands. But as the saying goes: “Success is being at the right place, at the right time, with the right people”. These are not controlled by our own hands, but by the hands of God, which help us to build and to guard; otherwise, we would labor in vain.

I   Needing the Hands of God in Establishing Your Career

“I returned and saw under the sun that – the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecc 9:11)

Hard work is a must, but the hard worker is not guaranteed success because he may not meet the right opportunities, and these opportunities are given by God. One example is Joseph, who experienced many adversities in his life. At the age of 17, he was sold to Egypt, became a slave to Potiphar, was framed by his master’s wife, and thrown into prison. Although he interpreted the baker and cupbearer’s dreams, he was forgotten and did not have the opportunity to turn his life around. Yet when God’s time came and Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, the cupbearer immediately thought of Joseph, and brought him to see the Pharaoh. God abided with Joseph, enabling him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and he was promoted to prime minister of Egypt overnight. He was only 30 at the time. (Gen 41:46)

From this, we can see that opportunities are given by God. At key times, He abides with those who revere him, and gives them opportunities. In our work, as long as we fulfill our part and revere God in all things, God will guard and take care of us. Do not solely rely on our own efforts and wisdom, and neglect the importance of faith. Without God’s guidance, we may not achieve what we wish for, and even if we were to achieve it, we may very quickly lose it.

II   Needing the Hands of God in Living a Healthy Life

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” (Ps 127:2)

If one has a successful career but lacks a healthy body, his wealth would be meaningless to him.

“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep… And this also is a severe evil – just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.” (Ecc 5:12, 16-17)

Therefore, true richness is not about how much money one can make. True richness entails the peace of God that is in our hearts, that despite living simple lives, we can be content. We can eat, sleep, and enjoy all that God has bestowed – this, is truly a blessing. So in addition to being attentive to our lifestyles, diet, and exercise, we should all the more seek God’s protection, that He may bless us with healthy bodies, so we may serve Him more and more.

III   Needing the Hands of God in Creating a Happy Family

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Ps 127:3)

The ability for a couple to give birth to healthy children is a reward from God. If a couple has difficulty conceiving, they should ask God and pray together with one heart, as opposed to only relying on human methods such as modern medical technology. After having children, many people focus their efforts on bringing up their kids – from education/selecting school districts, to developing their hobbies and talents. However, the Bible teaches us that children are a heritage from the Lord, and this means that the heritage belongs to God and not us. Our responsibility is to care and to teach, so that our children’s faith may persevere and grow. Only then, can we give an account to God.

Therefore, as our children grow, we must invest time and effort to cultivate them spiritually, encouraging our children to have faith in God, and frequently spending time to read the bible and pray with them day to day. During their process of growth, use the words of God to strengthen them, and pray for God to protect and guide them, that they may not sin against Him. God will definitely hear our prayers and watch over our children, and we will not be ashamed because of our children but will bring glory to God.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Ps 127:4-5)

Conclusion

As we diligently use our hands to build joyful lives, I hope we will also continually look to God. Ask His invisible hands to abide with us always, and to bestow His grace and blessings upon us.

The Invisible Hands

“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.” (Ps 127:1)

Success requires one to work hard with his own hands. But as the saying goes: “Success is being at the right place, at the right time, with the right people”. These are not controlled by our own hands, but by the hands of God, which help us to build and to guard; otherwise, we would labor in vain.

I   Needing the Hands of God in Establishing Your Career

“I returned and saw under the sun that – the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecc 9:11)

Hard work is a must, but the hard worker is not guaranteed success because he may not meet the right opportunities, and these opportunities are given by God. One example is Joseph, who experienced many adversities in his life. At the age of 17, he was sold to Egypt, became a slave to Potiphar, was framed by his master’s wife, and thrown into prison. Although he interpreted the baker and cupbearer’s dreams, he was forgotten and did not have the opportunity to turn his life around. Yet when God’s time came and Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, the cupbearer immediately thought of Joseph, and brought him to see the Pharaoh. God abided with Joseph, enabling him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and he was promoted to prime minister of Egypt overnight. He was only 30 at the time. (Gen 41:46)

From this, we can see that opportunities are given by God. At key times, He abides with those who revere him, and gives them opportunities. In our work, as long as we fulfill our part and revere God in all things, God will guard and take care of us. Do not solely rely on our own efforts and wisdom, and neglect the importance of faith. Without God’s guidance, we may not achieve what we wish for, and even if we were to achieve it, we may very quickly lose it.  

II   Needing the Hands of God in Living a Healthy Life

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” (Ps 127:2)

If one has a successful career but lacks a healthy body, his wealth would be meaningless to him.

“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep… And this also is a severe evil – just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.” (Ecc 5:12, 16-17)

Therefore, true richness is not about how much money one can make. True richness entails the peace of God that is in our hearts, that despite living simple lives, we can be content. We can eat, sleep, and enjoy all that God has bestowed – this, is truly a blessing. So in addition to being attentive to our lifestyles, diet, and exercise, we should all the more seek God’s protection, that He may bless us with healthy bodies, so we may serve Him more and more. 

III   Needing the Hands of God in Creating a Happy Family

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Ps 127:3)

The ability for a couple to give birth to healthy children is a reward from God. If a couple has difficulty conceiving, they should ask God and pray together with one heart, as opposed to only relying on human methods such as modern medical technology. After having children, many people focus their efforts on bringing up their kids – from education/selecting school districts, to developing their hobbies and talents. However, the Bible teaches us that children are a heritage from the Lord, and this means that the heritage belongs to God and not us. Our responsibility is to care and to teach, so that our children’s faith may persevere and grow. Only then, can we give an account to God.

Therefore, as our children grow, we must invest time and effort to cultivate them spiritually, encouraging our children to have faith in God, and frequently spending time to read the bible and pray with them day to day. During their process of growth, use the words of God to strengthen them, and pray for God to protect and guide them, that they may not sin against Him. God will definitely hear our prayers and watch over our children, and we will not be ashamed because of our children but will bring glory to God.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Ps 127:4-5)

Conclusion

As we diligently use our hands to build joyful lives, I hope we will also continually look to God. Ask His invisible hands to abide with us always, and to bestow His grace and blessings upon us.