Priestly Pens: Encouragement for Christian WritersPrimjer

Unless the Lord Writes the Book

“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.” – Psalm 127:1-2 (NLT)

Our workaholic society tells us to push, strain, and strive to accomplish our goals. Many books have been written with this method. Ultimately, at what cost and benefit?

We also see many in the world today trying to protect all the work they’ve done in their own human strength. If we’re honest, we’ve all done this as if everything depends on us alone.

It’s interesting to note that Psalm 127 was written by Solomon, who also wrote most of Proverbs – many of which instruct us to work hard and not be lazy. In this Psalm, he’s addressing the issue of working without including God in the picture.

Whether it’s building houses or writing books, both are acceptable enterprises. They serve an important purpose. Our motives behind these things are equally important. Are we doing these things for our glory or God’s glory? In the end, this is why we call ourselves Kingdom writers who join God in building His Kingdom, not some monument unto ourselves.

God makes no distinctions between the sacred and secular. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” (Emphasis mine)

God is interested in ALL of our work, including all the words we write. Our books will have more substance when we partner with God, just as families will have more substance in their relationships when they build their homes with the Lord.

Houses are viewed as a symbol of status around the world. We can easily desire a huge, extravagant house to look good in the eyes of others. This can also happen with our books. We can create something that comes off as polished and shiny to seek status. We can place our security in the approval we receive from others, which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Why is ‘the work of the builders wasted?’ It’s wasted when we trade the eternal for the temporal.

We also see in this Psalm that God gives rest to His loved ones. Our work becomes a problem when it goes beyond the limits God has set for it. Those who undergo tough physical training understand the benefits of rest and recovery. As writers, our times of prayerful rest can create space for us to hear what God might have in mind for our books.

King Solomon tells us, “There is a time for everything,” including rest. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

We believe our best books will be birthed from a place of rest as we pause to seek the Lord. He’ll supply the substance rather than us trying to gut it out and quickly exhausting our strength.

Every book, article, or blog post of eternal value results from God’s grace when we include Him.

Reflection: Read John 15:1-11. What is the key to producing lasting fruit? Before sitting down for your next writing session, play a soft worship song and prayerfully invite the Lord into every aspect of your writing.