|
|
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Yesterday we saw how the Israelites had been restored out of their long captivity. It was like they were dreaming. They couldn't stop laughing they were so happy. They couldn't stop shouting they were so happy. Others looked at their joy and noted how good God had been to them. They looked at themselves and noted how good God had been to them. They were glad.
The bus ride home from my first youth group "away" trip was a lot like that. I went with a whole bunch of friends to a Youth for Christ retreat in the Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. After a 3-year avoidance of God, I was back in the fold and started growing in Christ and this was the first big trip the organization went on. I was thrilled to be going.
And it was everything I hoped it would be. I skiied for the first time. My friends and I had our own room with a mixture of great laughs/pranks as well as real times of talking about what the speaker said in the nightly meetings. We met Christians from all over the Southeast and I exprienced my first worship service among 3,000 people. It was a blast.
The bus ride home was like that, too. Naturally, me and my friends all made commitments to walk with Christ in a deeper way personally, and to be more bold for Him outwardly at school and in our sports and at our jobs and with our families. We were fired up, meant every word of it, and were very happy.
Then, winter break (we called it Christmas vacation then) ended and we went back to school, and it wasn't so easy. There were frustrations with classes/teachers/homework/friends that always seem to happen when school goes back in session. Coaches got on us and anger reared it's ugly head in sports. Bosses still didn't know the best way to get the job done. We still had normal interaction with our families, which meant huffs and eye rolls and hibernating in our rooms.
We lost our joy amid the day-to-day life. The camp high was zapped out of us.
But the 2nd half of Psalm 126 lets us know that it doesn't have to be that way. The Christian in 2004 doesn't have to live between the camp highs our Christian culture provides for us. We don't have to get our batteries recharged on Sunday and hope it at least lasts until next Saturday. We don't have to wait for the upcoming men's/women's/youth retreat to have joy. We can experience it moment-by-moment.
Take a look at verse 4: "Restore our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South." In other words, "Do it again, God!" That feeling we had...do it again, just like the stream beds in the Negev. Those were dry most of the time in that area (I've read books on it, so I'll have to trust them since I haven't been there) and even a good rain storm could cause those stream beds to flood in a very short time. Do it again, God. Bring us that joy. In abundance. And quickly.
Verses 5 & 6: "Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaths with him."
Notice all the references to work. Sowing in tears. Carrying bag of seed. Bringing sheaths. Life got back to normal for them. The pary was over. The captives had been brought back home over a 7 month period of time. The festival had taken place with provision for the poor people. The nation worshipped together for the first time in generations. Then they had to go and eek out a living.
But not to worry. Because verses 1--3 took place, there is room for verses 4--6. You can look back at God's faithfulness in the past which will encourage you that he's going to supply your need in the future. While you're working and trusting God and doing the next thing, God will be faithful. He always has been. He always will be. You can have joy wherever you are in the midst of whatever you're doing.
The camp high might be nice, but you still have to go to work. And while you're at work, doing the next thing...you will be shouting with joy again and joyfully shout again.
So, what is taking away your joy? What do you need to trust God for today so that you can work with joy?
Brent 5:18 AM
|