Establish the Work of Our Hands

Meditation
Psalm 90:17—Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands—establish the work of our hands!
 
Psalm 90:17 is my verse for 2019.  It has dual meaning for me because of my book The Strong Leader’s Handwhere I heavily utilize the hand to illustrate six leadership principles.  For example, what we put our hands to often reveals our vision.  I also love the fact that the psalmist seeks the Lord’s favor. Without God’s favor life turns into a burdensome struggle.  With His support life is pregnant with meaning.

The verb establish, is a key word in this verse and we see this amplified by the fact that the writer repeats it.  Approximately 111 times Scripture references God in the work of establishing.  In the Old Testament, two Hebrew words are frequently used.   Suwm (soom) means to put, to set, or to place. It frequently indicates God’s sovereignty over man.[1]  Kuwn (koon) means to set up, to make firm, to establish to prepare.  “The primary action of this verb is to cause to stand in an upright position, and thus the word also means fixed or steadfast.”[2]  
            
When God establishes the work of our hands, He makes us steadfast.  He stands us up—we are in a place of His favor.  Because He is all-powerful, what He institutes often is for eternity depending on His purpose.  

Psalm 90:16 says, “Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children.”  This gives us insight into verse 17.  It shows us the importance of God’s work.  Our work should be in sync with His work.  Implied is that our effort should be for His glory. His purposes are made known through us.   Francis Frangipane wrote in The House of the Lord, “Yet, until we see that the Father’s highest purpose is to reveal in us the nature of Christ, we will not qualify for the power of Christ, which is God’s full endorsement upon our lives.”  Jesus said, “I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). 

We glorify God by completing the work He gives us to do.  This is how we gain His favor and establishing.  So let’s take inventory of our lives.  Are we about the Master’s business?  Are we fulfilled in what we are doing?  Do we sense God’s favor?  To be established in God’s Kingdom is to be blessed!  Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
The distinction between secular work and sacred work is not scriptural. All work is sacred if it is done to the glory of God.—William McDonald
 
©2019 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)


[1]Hebrew-Greek Key Work Study Bible, Christian Standard Bible, 2017, p. 1979.
[2]Ibid, p.1783.