Pray For Us...

The Wonder of it All!

Think of a time when you spontaneously laughed or even sang because you were experiencing something that seemed too good to be true. You had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming. You had been down, maybe worried, maybe feeling your life was a dull, boring routine or, worse, that because of all the problems you had, your life lacked meaning, joy and wonder.

This was the experience of God's people when they returned after 70 years of exile to the promised land. Psalm 126 says,

"When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.... The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." (vv. 1-2a, 3)

When the Babylonian armies had marched into the promised land 70 years before, their homes had been destroyed, and many of them had lost family and friends. While in captivity they could only dream of the land flowing with milk and honey that God had given them. Those born in captivity only heard stories about it from their family.

But now they were back. The same Lord who had brought their ancestors out of Egypt had now brought them out of captivity in Babylon. It seemed too good to be true. It was like the dream that had tantalized them for so long, with the difference that now it was very real. How could they help but laugh and sing! Even the nations that worshipped other gods, when they saw what had happened said,

"The Lord has done great things for them." (v. 2b)

However, even though they had been delivered from Babylon, they were disappointed to see the ruinous condition of the land. They were glad to be back, but knew there must be more to God's promise. And so they cried out,

"Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev." (v. 4)

The streams of the Negev were dry in the summer until the winter rains brought life to the region. So even though they were full of joy and laughter because of their return from exile, they knew there must be more to God's promise. They remembered the stories of the glory that had been theirs under the leadership of King David and King Solomon and longed for that greater glory.

In the meantime, they had a lot of work to do. Crops had to be planted, houses rebuilt, and the temple restored. As they were rebuilding the temple, however,

"Many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid." (Ezra 3:12)

The psalmist, however, expresses his hope that in spite of the present challenges and meager beginnings, God would finally fulfill his promises and their fortunes would be restored. He says,

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (vv. 5-6)

In other words, their obedience to the Lord that now involved such tedious work as plowing the ground, planting seed, rebuilding their homes and temple, would someday yield an abundant harvest. Someday God would restore the fortunes of his people.

It may seem hard to believe that when the Restorer came, very few recognized or accepted him. The Jews were expecting someone who would rescue them from the control and power of the Roman Empire. They also wanted someone who could feed them and satisfy their basic needs. Judas was expecting someone who would bring them great riches. The disciples were expecting to sit on 12 thrones, ruling over the kingdom. They didn't recognize him, in part, because their dreams were too small.

Jesus didn't come to fulfill the small dreams of his people. Rather, he came to give us the impossible dream--to deliver from the grip of sin and death. King David was able to conquer the neighboring nations. Solomon accumulated great wealth. But Jesus conquered death and the power of sin. He is the King who, having defeated the last enemy, enables his people to live forever!

The return from captivity celebrated in Psalm 126 was but a foretaste of the greater deliverance accomplished by King Jesus. If the returned captives spontaneously broke out with songs of joy and laughter, how much more should we celebrate what Jesus has accomplished by dying in our place and rising from the dead!

Just as God's people back then faced the tedious task of plowing and sowing, building their homes and God's temple, so we do not yet experience the fullness of the promised life. We have the down payment, but there is more to come. Even now, though, we are raised with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places. Even now we participate in that fullness of life to come. Though even now we may have to go out sowing seeds with weeping because of all the challenging and sometimes life-threatening obstacles we face, we can do so with a laugh of joy in our hearts. We know that the King is with us, and that we will live forever with him. It's like a dream that seems too good to be true. But it is true!

I find that I am continually tempted to lose sight of the wonder of it all. The exigencies of daily life push themselves to the foreground and what Christ has done fades into the background. But the message of the Bible is: remember what Christ has done and live in light of the wonder. More than well-thought-out strategies or well-funded projects, the Lord uses our wonder at what he has done--the laughter of joy and the song of praise--to bring in the great harvest of which John got a glimpse: a great multitude that no one could number, from every tribe and nation, standing before the throne of God and praising him.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.

Gary and Phyllis Waldecker