In Due Season

Scripture:  Psalms 126:5-6 (CSB) – Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.  Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.

The psalmist recalls the joy that God’s people experienced when He restored their fortunes upon their return after exile.   (Psalms 126:1-3 - When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.)  Thinking of watercourses/streams that overflowed south of Israel during the rainy season, the psalmist longed for an overflow of God’s blessing so that people might experience restoration and have their sorrow turn to joy.  When you are waiting on the Lord, when a lot of time passes by and nothing seems to change, you can get weary or become doubtful.  We have to keep our eyes stayed on the Lord.

Don’t become complacent or give up in what you hope for from the Lord.  Ephesians 3:20 says - Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  The following are scriptures that help me have hope while waiting on the Lord in difficult times:

• Psalm 27:14 – Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!
• Psalm 31:24 – Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
• Psalm 130:5 - I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.
• Psalm 146:5 – Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
• Psalm 147:11 – The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.
• Isaiah 40:31 – But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
• Lamentations 3:21-23 - This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
• Galatians 6:9 -  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
• I Thessalonians 2:19 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
• I Peter 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Prayer:  Thank You Lord for dying on the cross for my sin.  Your Word gives me so much hope no matter what I go through.  Help me to never give up.  I will always trust You -- for You are sovereign.  Thank You for caring about every intricate detail of my life.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

(by Marsha Williams)