Day 27, Summer Psalms 131-135

Today is Labor Day, the last holiday of the summer.  Labor day was created over 100 years ago in 1882 to honor and appreciate the efforts of all workers, especially those people who fought for labor rights and laws. The first Psalm of today's blog, Psalm 131:2 gives perfect advice for all of us so we may truly embrace this holiday's original intention, "I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a child quieted at its mother's breast." Today is a day to set aside work, if we have that opportunity, and find peace in knowing that God will take care of our needs. By committing our  labor to Him, in Him, and through Him, all is good, all is well.

Sometimes we may feel that our daily labors are unimportant, not recognized, or fruitless, but Solomon reminds us in Psalm 132 that this world, the here and now, is fleeting. Our time of resting will come soon enough and it will last for an eternity. In verse 3, it is vital to remember our source of life. Solomon recalls David's vow, "I will not enter my house or get into my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord." We can take this to mean that after a day's labor, as tired as we may be, always take time to give thanks and to praise the Lord for the opportunities we were given to work, to create, to care, to assist, simply to make use of the talents He gave us.

Labor day is also a day to be grateful for the people who work with us, either by our sides, in the next room, at another building, or at a distant location. It's important to recognize those people in the chain who make our jobs possible, customers, suppliers, transportation, maintenance, housekeeping, etc. Psalm 133 states, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!"  All of us working together in harmony is what makes Labor Day worth celebrating. Celebrate as Psalm 134 tells us, "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord."

Our labors our recognized by God, yes, so always be mindful of the ultimate goal of all we do. Psalm 135:15-18 warns, "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not see, they have ears, but they do not hear, nor is their breath in their mouths. Like them be those who make them." Keep labor day for God and not the glory of a nation. It is not, don't be mistaken, the nation for which we toil, but for the glory of God alone.