"When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting...." (Psalm 126:1, 2-- NASB)
The note in the NIV says, "....we were like those restored to health."
Remember when Jesus, "....brought back the captive one[]..."? You were like what the Bible describes, "....and you shall go forth and skip about like calves from the stall." Now if you don't remember, it would be good if you would take a "trip down memory lane." And I am not talking of just some "Toronto blessing." There is a joy, deep within our very beings, which is not dependent upon our circumstances, our every prayer going just the way we desire. We were sin-sick, terminal, and Jesus literally healed us of that worst of diseases, literally, "....brought back the captive ones...."
We have a tendency that the farther away we get from that glorious release from Satan's captivity, when it seems as though the proverbial "honeymoon is over," viz., when the trials and sorrows, defeats and unanswered prayers, things just not turning out the way we expect, all began to rear their heads, we tend to forget the glorious times of, "....skip about like calves...." Perhaps it is in the seasons of trial and suffering that we most need, "....our mouth...filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting." This is something deeper than just "feel-good" religion. It is, "laughter," and, "joyful shouting," which comes from the inexpressible peace Who is our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Count your many blessings; see what God hath done," the song says. Good advice. But why is it that the "sad times" seem to rule over the "happy times?" Maybe the issue is just our focus, as in, "looking unto Jesus," instead of "looking unto" what did not work out. I pray today that, "our mouth [is] filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting."
Father, in Jesus' Name, may this be so for me and my friend. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
