When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nation “The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us and we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O LORD as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126: 1-6, NKJV.
LORD, here we are in Your presence, giving You praise for all that You have done for us. Please continue to be the joy of our living. This we ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ . Amen.
One of my dearest friends has a favorite saying: “No one is going to steal my joy.” She says it with so much conviction, that I know it is the truth! But it is not only what she says that convinces me; it is the way she lives her life. She is so kind. She dresses so beautifully. She loves so faithfully! When you are with her, you can’t help but experience joy. I am blessed to have her as one of my special friends!
Joy is not something we experience by chance. Nor, is it something we decide that we are going to have and, “Bingo,” it happens. Let me submit this thought for your consideration. Joy is a gift. It is a part of the “fruit of the Spirit.” After we have received it, then we can make a decision to keep it no matter what happens. I believe that is what my friend has done.
Let us look at the situation of the Israelites as expressed in this psalm. God’s people had been taken captive. According to the marginal notes of The New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV with the Apocrypha, this “may reflect the sixth-century BCE return from exile, imaged as a new Exodus.” So we know that this was a grand occasion! Almost too good to be true, “When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.”
Have you ever been in a situation so long, that you began to believe that you would never get out of it? When you finally, miraculously, escaped, how did you feel? Perhaps like the Israelites – as if you were dreaming? Did you shout for joy? Or did you shed tears of joy? Could those around you tell that something good was happening in your life, because of your actions? Did they give God the glory for your deliverance?
Where I would really like to turn our attention, is to the last two verses. While it is true that their greatest joy came as a result of their deliverance, I also believe that a great part of their joy, came when they saw what they had accomplished in captivity. Listen: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. [The person] who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his [or her] sheaves with him [or her].” I am of the impression that these seeds were sown in captivity. This, is of major importance!
The reason I believe that the seeds were sown in captivity is because the sowers were weeping as they went about their duties.” Captivity is a time of sadness. Usually, when we are in captivity, we believe that there is nothing that we can do about our situation. We feel helpless. We allow our situation to make prisoners out of us. We usually sit and fold our hands, and many precious opportunities pass us by, while we wait for our captivity to come to an end. The truth being told – we can invest our time and talent(s) – that at the end of the captivity we can have something to show – for the glory of God!
A note of primary importance is that whenever (“continually”) these sowers went forth, they carried seeds with them! And whenever an opportunity presented itself, they sowed a seed! Can you imagine the surprise some of us would receive at the end of our time of weeping, when we saw the great harvest that our tears had helped to produce during our captivity? We may not realize it, but our tears can help in the irrigation process! Desperation can help us to become very creative!
Are you in bondage of some kind? Do not despair. Perhaps you are in that situation, to bring out the best in you. Instead of waiting for your “time” to come. Make your time. Determine to make today your most creative day yet – sow some seeds. Captivity is not a good thing, but the soil in captivity is rich! You will never know until you plant something. Why not begin today?