Restore our joy

Psalm 126:4–6 (NIV) — 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

The first half of the psalm talks about fortunes restored after the exile and the joy they experienced then. The second half talks about a request to restore fortunes.

Here in this pandemic we may feel as if we were in a type of quarantine exile. Does that describe how you feel? What activities or relationships do you particularly feel exiled from?

The Negev is the desert area in the south of Israel. “Streams in the Negev” refers to the dry river beds which would fill up during the occasional rains. The desert plants would bloom when the waters came, providing a visual image of what it means to have fortunes restored.

Imagine how you will feel when life gets back to “normal”. Do you think this image of a blooming desert will describe how you will feel at that time? How else might you describe how you might feel?

Can you see the hand of the Lord at work in this pandemic? Has the Lord had a hand in protecting you and your family so far? Can you see his hand at work in the development and coming distributions of the vaccines?

The writer talks about sowing and reaping. How do these activities relate to the Lord restoring fortunes? What active role are we called to play in order to create opportunities for the Lord to restore our fortunes?

What other area of your life do you need the Lord to restore your fortunes? Talk this over with him and ask him what and where you need to sow or reap.