105 Psalm 105 Cycle of Joy
JMD Devotional 105 Psalm 126:1-6 Cycle of Joy
WHEN THE Lord brought back the captives [who returned] to Zion, we were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal]. Then were our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad! Turn to freedom our captivity and restore our fortunes, O Lord, as the streams in the South (the Negeb) [are restored by the torrents]. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
These are the descendents of those who were carried off as exiles into captivity, who, when asked to sing merry 'Jewish' songs by their captors, sadly hung their harps on tree branches. They abandoned their musical instruments along with their hopes. They could not see past the day of their present sorrow. Recovery is a long, dark tunnel, and it is hard to imagine the good life on the other end; but no one can stay the course without hope.
Job 13:15a (NIV) Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him...
Job felt like he was in the pit of hell, but he remembered better days, and struggled to believe that more better days lay ahead against his reasoning. Life is not static, but cyclic, highs and lows, ups and downs, a natural cycle that permeates all things making every parameter rise and fall along its own rhythm. We could not know joy were it not for its shadow of sorrow; the greater the magnitudes of brilliance and darkness the sharper the contrast and the wealth of the experience.
Dear God,
Jesus promised abundant life, and sometimes I don't know what it looks like. Often I've longed for 'static life', fearing change, loss and failure. But prudence tells me that life will have its mix of good and evil, better and worse until this present Age is over. Father God, help me to be like a child on a swing set, when I'm pushed out into the unknown, when my heart races as if I'll fly off the seat: help me to exercise faith and have confidence that I'll swing back into your hands, back into security, which I never really lost having always been within your reach. Abba Father, You are precious to me.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
WHEN THE Lord brought back the captives [who returned] to Zion, we were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal]. Then were our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad! Turn to freedom our captivity and restore our fortunes, O Lord, as the streams in the South (the Negeb) [are restored by the torrents]. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
These are the descendents of those who were carried off as exiles into captivity, who, when asked to sing merry 'Jewish' songs by their captors, sadly hung their harps on tree branches. They abandoned their musical instruments along with their hopes. They could not see past the day of their present sorrow. Recovery is a long, dark tunnel, and it is hard to imagine the good life on the other end; but no one can stay the course without hope.
Job 13:15a (NIV) Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him...
Job felt like he was in the pit of hell, but he remembered better days, and struggled to believe that more better days lay ahead against his reasoning. Life is not static, but cyclic, highs and lows, ups and downs, a natural cycle that permeates all things making every parameter rise and fall along its own rhythm. We could not know joy were it not for its shadow of sorrow; the greater the magnitudes of brilliance and darkness the sharper the contrast and the wealth of the experience.
Dear God,
Jesus promised abundant life, and sometimes I don't know what it looks like. Often I've longed for 'static life', fearing change, loss and failure. But prudence tells me that life will have its mix of good and evil, better and worse until this present Age is over. Father God, help me to be like a child on a swing set, when I'm pushed out into the unknown, when my heart races as if I'll fly off the seat: help me to exercise faith and have confidence that I'll swing back into your hands, back into security, which I never really lost having always been within your reach. Abba Father, You are precious to me.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
posted by James M. Dinsmore at 9:10 AM
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