Psalm 127 (NRSV)
Unless the Lord builds the house

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives sleep to his beloved.

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons of one's youth.
Happy is the man who has
his quiver full of them.
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Reflection
Work and for that matter live as if you are living for the Lord. With the focus on God, your purpose in life clears up. When we focus on our own wants and needs, or the wants and needs of a corporation or company or any other source of authority first, we are dependent on changing perceptions of what is wanted or needed. But when we put God first, we work to please our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of all people. This world is more than what we see. There is also the spiritual world in which we live, that at this moment, many times we miss. But stop for a moment and look, listen, feel, touch, and taste the God who gives life; and you will find much much more than you could ever imagine. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, you have richly blessed me with the gift of life all around me and within me and before me and after me. Teach me to see and appreciate the life you reveal in this world and beyond. --- Amen