I used to be afraid to leave my children with a babysitter, even if I knew them very well. Besides the fact that I tend to worry too much anyway, my children have allergies, and I’m always concerned something will happen, and the sitter won’t know what to do.

Because of this, I always type out a letter, with detailed instructions on how to take care of the children – probably more detailed than necessary. But what really eased my fears even more than my very detailed letter was the realization that my children always have the same caretaker. God is the one watching over them and can do a much better job of protecting them than I can!

For the last 2 or 3 weeks, I have been seeing a lot of Psalm 127. You know what I mean. God puts the same scripture before you over and over until you finally say, “Wait a minute. Are You trying to tell me something here?”

Psalm 127 says:

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Verse 1 is the main one that has really taught me a lesson. To me, this verse is saying that no job is worth doing if God is not in it. That means I should constantly make sure that the way I am  parenting my children is pleasing to God. If it is not, it is all in vain! And who wants anything they have done to be in vain, especially the raising of their children?!

Parenting may not be an issue for you, but whatever the issue, do yourself a favor and give it to God. Give him that something that you are afraid won’t work out quite right. Or you might even have to give him that something that you are certain you have completely under control all by yourself. Give it to God and let him make good use of all the work you put into it!