WORTH REMEMBERING

Psalm 126

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. . . Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalm 126:3-5

I heard Chuck Colson say in a television interview that he would never forget the joy and peace he felt when he surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Many of us can remember times when we were ecstatic because the Lord had met our need in a remarkable way. We often refer to such times as mountaintop experiences.

Life, however, is also marked by dark and difficult valleys. At such times we can encourage ourselves by reflecting on the past and letting our mountaintop experiences be a reason to look ahead with confidence. They can reassure us that God who helped us then will not fail us now.

We saw that in today’s Scripture reading. After recounting the joy the Israelites felt when God miraculously delivered them, the psalmist asked God to be merciful again.

In so doing, he used two images to express his expectation of blessing. The first metaphor was of dry gullies in the desert that suddenly became torrents during a downpour (Psalm 126:4). The second was of fruit that develops slowly and quietly as the result of earnest sowing and reaping (verses 5-6)

God’s past faithfulness assures us that He will meet our future needs. That’s worth remembering. —vl

O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal? —watts

The better our memory, the better our praise.