Psalm 126: Envision

Today’s reading is Psalm 126.

Our pilgrim psalmist is in a dry time. He has experienced restoration in the past. He recalls the laughter and joy of those times. However, in his present situation he begs for restoration again. The laughter and joy have diminished. The flood of blessings have waned. There is more woe than weal (those who listen to Text Talk know what I’m talking about here). He begs the Lord restore his fortunes like streams in the Negeb. My understanding is these dried up stream beds in the south would not simply fill in the rainy season. When they did, it would be something akin to a flash flood. They did not slowly fill as more and more rain over several weeks saturated the land. Overnight, the floods would flow through these wadis and bless the land with growth and vegetation. The pilgrim’s prayer is not simply for blessing to increase, but for it to happen suddenly and overwhelmingly.

Yesterday, we recognized the pilgrim’s first step for tying the knot in his rope and hanging on to God. He looked back. He remembered the past blessings. We have tacitly recognized the second step: pray. He sandwiches this all-important second step by looking back before it and then looking ahead after. He remembered past blessings, he prayed, then he envisioned the future blessings he was sure God would bring.

Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:5-6 (ESV)

I may be mistaken here, but I don’t think the pilgrim’s metaphor means sowing in tears is prerequisite to reaping with joy. Rather, I believe his point is simply the one who sows even if it is with tears, because of his trust in God, will reap with joy. Not all sowing is in tears. But that is how the psalmist is sowing now.

However, in this statement we see his fourth step, overlapping his third. He continues working despite the tears because he refuses to be distracted by the present moment. Instead, he looks to the end in faith. Based on previous restoration and past blessing, he knows the Lord’s blessing is sure. While sowing, he meditates on the reaping. He knows the work will pay off, not because he is so good at sowing, not because he knows nature is on his side, not because he just knows it will all work out in the end, but because he knows God is with him even in this dry time.

Are you in a dry time? If not, be prepared. It will come. If you are, remember our pilgrim. He has traveled the arduous road from Meshech and Kedar to Jerusalem. There have been great joys along the way. But he also faces dry times. He hangs on to God with this four-step process: 1) Remember past blessings. 2) Pray hard. 3) Envision future blessings. 4) Keep sowing/working.

While this particular psalm does not end by showing God’s response, the first half sets the stage. God does bless His people. He will restore their fortunes. Life on pilgrimage has ups and downs. Sometimes blessings flood, sometimes they trickle, sometimes they dry up. But God is always with us and He will bring restoration.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 126.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 126 prompt or improve your trust in God?

John 8: The Light of the World

Today’s reading is John 8.

Victor Frankl described his role as a therapist in “Man’s Search for Meaning” as being an eye specialist, not a painter. He explained:

A painter tries to convey to us a picture of the world as he sees it, an ophthalmologist tries to enable us to see the world as it really is.

Granted, I imagine most artists would claim they are trying to help us see the world as it is. However, the very nature of their approach is by presenting their own filter over the world. An eye specialist or ophthalmologist doesn’t work on the picture, but on the eye that sees.

I couldn’t help but think of this when Jesus claimed to be the light of the world. As the light, Jesus isn’t painting a picture of what He thinks of the world or overlaying His view of things. He is merely turning the light on so we can see the world as it is. He gives us a clear view. His life exposes the world for what it is. His example demonstrates what is right in the world and also what is wrong. His steps show the path we can walk through this world successfully. We see the world for what it is and see how to traverse the path of this life by keeping our eyes on Jesus and walking in His footsteps.

The reality is we all follow someone. We all believe someone out there really knows how to live life. For some of us, that person is a parent, for others, a professor. For some, it is a professional athlete, for others, a singer or actor. For some, it is a group of people, for others a character on a TV show. We all have someone we think is getting it right. We have someone we wish we could be more like. We have someone we try to imitate and emulate. We all have someone we think sheds light on how to successfully live this life.

Understand this, only one person in all history has so successfully navigated His way through this world that when His life was over, the ground couldn’t hold Him. Only one has so victoriously lived this life, that when He was done, He broke out of the tomb and ascended to heaven. Only One. Frankly, it seems to me if we want to live life successfully, our best bet is to grab hold of His robe and hang on for dear life wherever He decided to go.

Only Jesus lights up the world, clearing our vision so we can see the world for what it is. Only Jesus lights up the path, showing us the way to walk. Will we come to Him? Will we let His light expose our darkness and drive it away? Or will we lurk in the shadows hoping we can forge our own path? I promise you, that won’t work.

Jesus is the light of the world and the only way we can be lights in the world is if we walk so close to Him, we reflect His brilliance.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 8.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 8 admonish you?