Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Returning Home

Psalm 126
English Standard Version (ESV)

A Song of Ascents.
126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
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.
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.

Awww, for that moment when we can feel satisfied and free!  I can hardly wait for that day.  Yet I wonder sometimes if my lack of feeling this now is my lack of faith or trust as we have spoken about before.  Why is it that we are saddened at death or feel rejected by people? Why is it that there is not joy and laughter in our lives?  If we hold on to the promises of God, why do we worry and why do we doubt?

I can’t answer those questions except to say that even though we believe it will be better, until we grasp it and experience it we don’t know how it will truly be.  We are told to be foreigners in this land but yet we have never been home so we don’t know what home looks or feels like.  We know the feeling of arriving home after a long trip.  We are ready to crawl into our own bed and rest.  No matter how comfortable we may have been somewhere else, home is so much more satisfying.  Someday we will know our true home and we will not ever want to or need to leave it. 

I remember as a child singing the song written below and had no idea it that it was inspired by this Psalm (that is what I am assuming).  I also had no idea what a sheave was!  I believe I sang it, “brining in the sheep” but I have heard other children sing it as “bringing in the sheets”!  Brining in the sheep could be rewarding too and I guess, bringing in the sheets wouldn’t be so bad because of the fresh clean sheets on your bed.  But, any farmer can tell you that when the harvest time comes and you have a successful crop, you do come in rejoicing as all the fruits of your labor are before you. 

As this life ends and the next begins, we will all have the opportunity to see the fruits of our labor.  Will we be bringing in the sheaves, rejoicing, or will our hands be empty?  When I finally go to my ultimate home, I hope that I will have such a load of sheaves that I can hardly walk!  As we seek Him and know Him, may we seek Him with all our heart in order to tend to the fields so that our harvest will be plentiful.

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain:
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain



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