Tag: Psalm 23

“Those Who Sow in Tears Shall Reap in Joy” (Psalm 126, Song of Ascent)

There are times when God seems cruel and distant. Circumstances, trials, loss can speak confusion, doubt, and fear in our lives, yet God in His Word, ministers life and hope to all who hear His voice and receive His love.  

He gives understanding and wisdom to His ways in His Word, (Proverbs 2:6). Instead of being cruel, we learn and experience,  

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient . . . not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9. 

Here at Advent, approaching the day we celebrate the birth of our Immanuel, we seek Him and cry out as the hymn cries:  

“O come, O come, Immanuel, 
and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here 
until the Son of God appear” (Translator: J. M. Neale). 
 

Today, in our pilgrimage through the Song of Ascents, as the children of Irael journeyed up to Jerusalem to take time to celebrate the Lord’s faithfulness and deliverance, we look at Psalm 126,  

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, 

we were like those who dream. 

Israel was held captive seventy years in Babylon. But throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, we see the stubbornness of His people, disobedience and pride which brought about punishment under evil rulers.  

And we also witness throughout Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st and 2nd Samuel, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and more, the great faithfulness of a gracious and compassionate God. 

The Lord is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy, forgiving iniquity and sin . . . (Exodus 34:6,7). 

However, all sin must be punished. The land of Israel had no Sabbath year rest for a total of seventy years. 

God warned the people. They were held captive exactly 70 years. His land had rest. The people? They remembered.  

Psalm 137 is a song in their anguish:  

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept 
    when we remembered Zion. 
 There on the poplars 
    we hung our harps, 
 for there our captors asked us for songs, 
    our tormentors demanded songs of joy; 
    they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 

How can we sing the songs of the Lord 
    while in a foreign land? 
 If I forget you, Jerusalem, 
    may my right hand forget its skill . . . Psalm 137:1-5. 

And God is faithful and true to His Word:  

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, 

and our tongue with shouts of joy; 

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 Psalm 126:1-3. 

Time in God’s Word gives answers, understanding, and comfort through the “Why’s” and the dark days.  

“Dear Lord, we’re broken-hearted. We suffer great loss. Affliction. Trial.  

You give warning in Your Word. You give promises. You are faithful to them both.  

You are both merciful and just.  

You are both Holy yet forgiving. There is none like You.  

You are drawing all people to You and Your great name-sometimes through  

Help us to hear You every day, the warnings, 

“If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions (Deuteronomy 28:58). 

Help us remember Your promises as well. 

Help us have ears to hear and hearts to understand You and Your ways and Your love:  “We love him, because he first loved us” 1 John 4:19.  

 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, 

like streams in the Negeb! 

 Those who sow in tears 

shall reap with shouts of joy! 

 He who goes out weeping, 

bearing the seed for sowing, 

shall come home with shouts of joy, 

bringing his sheaves with him Psalm 126. 

“Dear Lord, we weep, but we look up and rejoice in You.  

You never abandon Your people. We need Your law written on our hearts, yes, You accomplished all we could never do.  

We can never be right, just, true, in and of ourselves.  

The arrival of the Messiah was what the people were looking forward to. We are looking to You, our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!” 

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, 

whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  

who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:1-3, NKJV.  

“Yes Lord, help us acknowledge You in all our days, in all our decisions.  

Though we may “walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for You are with us” (Psalm 23).  

Help us trust You, the faithful and gracious Lord to be our hope this day and forevermore. You, Jesus, dwell in my heart, and the hearts of all who believe on You: 

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3). 

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy . . . The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad Psalm 126. Watercolor by Grace Rypkema / Legacy Studio 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

 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. 

Let us climb this mountain rejoicing: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel (O Come, O Come, Immanuel Translator: J. M. Neale (1851).

Good Health? Who’s Voice Are we Listening to?

Who’s in charge? Who’s voice takes first place?

To safeguard good health we must wash our thoughts with God’s Word, outside and in. We must exercise ourselves in its truth.

Otherwise, we’re swirling in confusion by every newscast. We’re shaken up. We don’t recognize when people try to trick us with lies that sound like the truth.

Are we sheep cast down, confused, in harm’s way?

Yes, we are. The Bible tells us so:

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6.

The bad news is not the end. This trial of uncertainty can “make us lie down,” be still and hear the Shepherd’s voice:

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.  The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” John 10:1-5.

The gatekeeper, the Father God “who art in heaven”, opens the gate for him, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son . . . “

Who is Jesus? All sheep easily forget:

“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 

 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full John 10:7-10.

Can we hear Him? Have we acknowledged that the LORD laid all my failure, pride, and sin on Him at the cross?

The washing of the heart is the beginning of health. We need a one-time wash of our sin for salvation. We also need a daily wash of His Word to stay safe through this messy world.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 

 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” John 10:14-18.

This voice is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We must choose to hear His Good News every day:

The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,  but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 

 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one” John 10:25-30.

Have we decided to hear Him? It’s time. He fills us with a new song of assurance and safety, forever. Now this is Good News:

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

We stay safe and healthy when we remain close to Him. We can clearly hear His voice above the noise of this world.

-just keep singin’.

Toni

Follow?

Who’s following me? How quickly we forget. I’m not talking about all the friends on the internet. It’s Goodness and Mercy that are following us, today, tomorrow, and in every last breath. When we choose to let the Lord be our Shepherd, Goodness and mercy follow us. As if living and nearby. But we forget. The Lord told us why. He likens us as sheep. We’re often too busy noticing that other people’s grass is green.  We’re minus the joy. Depleted of smiles. Our focus is not vertical, but searching for popular styles.  We forget to be thankful of God’s watchful eye. Not noticing the many gifts He brings. Our minds are elsewhere, we walk on by. We fret on along. We lose our song. We wonder. We ask, “Where is the road to happiness?” “Today.” Today.” The Lord cries to all. The most important day of our lives is the day we answer His call. We put it off, we wait for the day. “Who wants to be a Jesus Freak anyway?” But the Lord calls again, “Today.” “Today.” And we know deep in our heart, He’s the Way. “I hear. I believe. Jesus, come, make me new.” God hears. He comes. Forgiveness, Salvation, Comfort in all. Angels rejoice. The sky is the bluest of blue. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing,(1)  He patiently works in us, as we grow in our trust and believe, receive, and let go of the stuff. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,   Allowing, at times, disappointment to come, or sickness, or loss, . . .  but the good Shepherd promises, and  he refreshes my soul. Psalm 23 tells me so. He promises to lead, to guide, to provide, to protect. Yes, He promises. “My goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life. Remember Me,” He asks at His communion Table. “Remember my mercy poured out with My out-stretched arms. Remember my goodness to pay your debt for all of your wrongs. Eat this bread broken for you. “Dear child of God, Remember Me, I love you.” Is the Lord your Shepherd? Ask Him to be “Today.” Today— Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23 NIV

 

We like sheep, irritated and butting heads. Quick, run to the Shepherd for anointing Oil. Remedy, at last!

Sheep! Stop!

Stop being offended by every gnat, and mosquito, and “baa” from  every other sheep in your path. Run to the Good Shepherd. He has anointing Oil to allow you to have peace, wisdom, direction, and rest.

We are as sheep just as the Chief Shepherd has proclaimed. Oh, the pests that swarm around our heads and irritate us sheep greatly. But the Good Shepherd, He is calling, “Today.” “Today.”

And the sheep that hear His voice come for His anointing oil to be poured out on our heads.

Oh, the peace.

He speaks in gentleness. He is faithful. He is love and help. He is life. His way is true.

He brings relief.

The anointing oil, His Holy Spirit, changes us. This is the Good Shepherd’s remedy.

Now we can see and focus on Him and be filled with thankfulness.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:6.

Oh, that we sheep who hear the Shepherd’s voice, never tire to tell others of His remedy and love. He sends us out, that we might bring others to Him.

And, perhaps they can see with their very own eyes, Goodness and Mercy that seem to follow us along. That we might multiply the sheep that seek to knock on God’s Door.

That the sheep will see Him as He is and not from their own thoughts anymore:

 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth,” Isaiah 53:7-9.

We suddenly see “Who” is the “He.” And we realize He has faced every evil thing.

The anointing Oil changes us. The focus, now shifts from other sheep, to Him.

We realize, He does love us.

His anointing brings wisdom. And we continually discover, growing knowledge, understanding, patience and self-control.

He becomes Chief Shepherd by our own, personal invitation.

He is all that we need.

We are no longer irritated by the pests and the rest, as, together we follow and are led to green pastures. He brings restoration by refreshing Living waters.

He has a plan.

He gives us understanding to know Him more and more. His anointing heals the “annoying,” and our hearts see ever clearly:

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors, Isaiah 53:10-12.

And together, we follow Him closely, listening to His voice. We don’t hardly notice the mistakes and messes and irritating stresses. We’re changed. We’re better. As we simply allow the Shepherd to fill us and anoint us again and again.

And step by step, He’ll lead us,

until He calls us home to His house of Love. And we go on forever, rejoicing. Rejoicing in glorious praise, fully unified. All because Christ died.

And rose.

And sealed and anointed us with His Spirit of Hope.

In Jesus name, Amen!

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