Reading Psalm 126 this morning I meditated on the experience of the Israelites when they were delivered from seventy years of captivity in Babylon. The psalmist is almost beside himself exclaiming their restored joy and freedom because of the goodness of God.
I thought of how I had been captive at times in my life. Dark areas and times that turned me away from God or more recently little things that captivated my time and distracted me from God.
Freedom from captivity meant the same to the Israelites 2,500 years ago as to us in 2008:
- The ability to dream again
- find joyful in worship
- see God at work in our lives
- recognize His blessings
To be free from captivity involves something on our part. The latter verses describes, "sowing in tears" and "going out weeping". This posture of brokenness and hungering for God's presence in every area of our lives. There is also a picture here of serving and giving, "carrying seed to sow". In ministering to others we are doing the work of God.
Three qualities here I want continually in my life: worship, humility, and a servants heart.
1 comment:
Funny, I've just been thinking about this verse that seems to track the goals you list Tony: Worship, humily and a servant's heart. I want these words to be more than just a memory verse, they are a precious promise and a provocative guide.
WORSHIP
8 For it is by grace you have been saved,
HUMILTY
through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
SERVANT'S HEART
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
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