Sowing With Tears, Reaping With Joy
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Deuteronomy 23; 24 and Psalm 126 (NIV)
(Michael Chan, PTM, Missions)
READ:
Psalm 126 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Psalm 126 captures the feelings of the exiles. It is a witness to God’s mighty work. In this Psalm, we see our Sovereign God releasing Israel and bringing her home from captivity (which was God’s judgement on Israel’s past iniquities). The joyous improbable return from exile was like a “dream” (v1).
God’s redemption of Israel caused the nations to admit that “The Lord has done great things for them.” (v2) Through this act, God frees His people and receives the glory.
When reality sets in, the exiles’ hearts fill with laughter and singing, declaring “The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad” (v3).
In verse 5, God promises that those who “sow with tears” will “reap in joy”. Israel sown in the exile of death, is now reaping a harvest. In verse 6, those who go into the fields with tears, will return with the joy of the harvest. Israel will return home with blessing and joy, as mourning and death will pass.
APPLY:
When God answers my prayers, I shall not just sing “to God be the glory,” but I shall testify to others the “great things” God has done in my life!
I remember leading mission teams to neighbouring countries. The teams sowed in tears crying out for the salvation of the lost through prayer and fasting. We shared our testimonies and preached the Good News, and we returned with songs of joy, carrying a bountiful harvest of hundreds of souls that God brought into His Kingdom!
As I am writing this, I am shocked and grieved by news of the passing of Joseph Chean on 15 November 2023. He was our invited preacher for Missions weekend running from 18 to 19 November 2023. God has used him to inspire and challenge thousands of lives to bring the Gospel to the nations. As I sow in tears together with his family and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, my prayer is that God will raise up many more missionaries from Wesley and the churches in Singapore to bring His love and the Gospel to the nations.
May joy come as there is resurrection after death. The grain of wheat that dies, rises up again to bear a great harvest. Israel came home and was the people out of which the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, was born. I look forward to the ultimate homecoming, going home to my Father’s house. My lips will be filled with joy and I will sing for eternity!
DO:
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Ps 126:5 (NIV)
As I continue to serve God by sowing in tears for the lost, there will be a joyful harvest to be reaped with shouts of joy!
I hope to encourage and inspire others to sow with tears by praying fervently, giving sacrificially, sharing the Gospel and making disciples by reaching the nations.
May my tears be the seeds that will grow into a harvest of joy, trusting God to bring salvation to the nations.
PRAY:
Heavenly Father, thank You that I can trust in You and Your Word as You are a good and faithful God. Thank you for Your assurance that when I sow in tears for the least, the last and the lost, I will reap in joy as You will bring the harvest into Your Kingdom. I look forward to reaping the full harvest when our Lord Jesus comes back in power and glory!
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
