Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Psalm 126:1-2

By

Psalm 126:1-2     "When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  (2)  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them."

As we continue in the Psalms, we are still gaining degrees of freedom in our walk with the Lord.  Have you ever dreamed and didn't want to wake up? Have you ever experienced something that caused you to feel like you were dreaming; yet, you know it's true. You feel like you need someone to pinch you to make sure you are awake, but then you don't want them to pinch you because you are afraid you really are dreaming. This Psalm speaks of that type of joy in our hearts.  For us older ones, it's a joy that allows you to look at life differently. Sometimes it causes you to act like a teenager again.  You laugh and sing. God puts a song in your heart that maybe was missing. People can look at you and know "God has done great things."

This is the joy of which the Psalmist is writing. It is so great that it changes your countenance and your outlook. Whether it was on a national level, or a personal level, the Psalmist is writing of a situation where he knew without a doubt the Lord had intervened and placed favor and blessing upon him as he had not experienced before.  Even if he wanted to, he could not stop from expressing the joy that was in his heart. There was not only joy, but a new hope had been placed within him that a new season had begun.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  Certainly when Christ comes to us and reveals Himself to us, we are made a new creature in Him. There is great joy in knowing the deep and abiding love of our Lord. We are made fresh and refreshed by the presence of our Lord. "All things become new."  But may I suggest to  us that every day can be like that, if we seek to look at life through the eyes and mind of Christ. There is fresh joy and new encouragement to be found as we seek to follow His leadership in our lives.  

Some people have the misgiven idea that following Christ slows us down or causes drudgery.  I declare through my own experience that it is quite the opposite. If the Lord has first place in our lives, He will lead us in the right path where there is joy and gladness and fulfillment and hope for better days.  We have laughter and singing when we can understand that everyday we live is filled with the great things God is doing for us.  My thought today is, don't let that joy pass you by. When you stop to smell the roses, think about the goodness of God that placed those roses there for your enjoyment.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Psalm 88:1-4

By
Psalm 88:1-4  A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. "O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:  (2)  Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;  (3)  For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  (4)  I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength" I've said this before and I will say it again (and probably more times before we get to the end of the Psalms) - I love the Psalms because I can surely identify with them. Most Psalms start in a low place and as the writer expresses his thoughts, the Lord begins to lift him up out of that dry place.  Though this entire Psalm is a fervent cry unto the Lord, the Psalmist tells us specifically in three verses that he cried daily unto the Lord. Just a few Psalms ago, we were reminded that God always hears our prayers. ...
Read more

Daily Devotion (Video): I Will Fear No Evil - Psalm 23:4

By
Read more

Daily Devotion: Knowing God By Bearing Fruit

By
Some will notice the title is not “Bearing fruit because we know God,” so to avoid getting sidetracked with that, we can start with the fact that we won’t bear any godly fruit unless our heart has been changed and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Also, to avoid confusion, I’ll be using the terms “bearing fruit,” “good works” and “service” interchangeably.  I took this article’s title from Part 7, of John Piper’s “Look at the Book” session on Colossians 1:9-12. I greatly encourage you to view that short video to get his excellent exposition on this subject.  When I saw the title of the video earlier this year, I got kind of excited because that’s the direction my thinking has gone in the past several years. My thinking was founded Biblically with verses on good works like Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.” But I couldn’t expand it to expla...
Read more