Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Why Psalm 127:2 Comes Before Psalm 127:3

Psalm 127

English Standard Version (ESV)

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake 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 to his beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
     the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Joel and I have been getting very little sleep the last 3 months.

Very little.

Joshua, who will be three months old this week, sleeps great!  He has slept 10, 12 and even 14 hours at a time (with a few feedings in there, of course). 

Jeremiah, on the other hand, has had a rough go of it lately.  He has always been a good sleeper, but has cut six teeth in the last three months.  He has all of the molars and the two bottom canine teeth.  He has also had his first cold- and now his second cold (thanks, nursery!).  Last night he threw up once, was restless and coughing all night long.

The lack of sleep is difficult and we have spent much time in prayer asking God for more sleep.  We have also been learning to rely upon the Lord for His strength.  There is a reason that God put Psalm 127:3 after Psalm 127:2.  God gives sleep to those He loves.  He also gives children as a heritage and a reward.

We have had just enough sleep to keep us going through the day and just enough to cause us to depend upon HIM more.  We look at Jeremiah as a heritage and a reward, not a bother or a nuisance.  We also know this phase will pass and, someday, we will sleep more than four hours a night.

We love being parents. 

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