Ask the Lord to Establish the Ordinary Work
Written for Bible Journey Plan. Our editorial standards.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Psalm 90:17 KJV
Much of a couple's work is repeated and quickly used up. Another meal is eaten, another floor needs cleaning, and another necessary errand disappears into the week's routine. It can be difficult to see lasting value in what must soon be done again.
Psalm 90 places human labor before the eternal God. Our days are brief, and their significance is not secured by our ability to make every result permanent. We depend upon the Lord's favor and purpose.
Do the ordinary work faithfully. Care for the people receiving its benefit, keep the task within wise limits, and accept that useful service may be temporary in its visible form. A meal does not have to last forever to nourish someone who needed it today.
Christ gives His people a reason to serve beyond public recognition. Let that truth encourage both of you when the work feels repetitive. Share the burden fairly and notice the care involved. The Lord can establish what matters in ways we do not immediately measure. An ordinary day's labor, offered with love and honesty, belongs within His larger care for the people entrusted to your home.
Keep the passage in context
Moses closes his reflection on life's brevity with a desire for God's favor and the establishment of human work. Lasting significance depends upon the eternal Lord.
Read further: Psalm 90 in the King James Bible.