Return and restoration…

Linda Pollock April 04, 2022 0 2

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Psalm 126 (NRSVA)

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
    ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we rejoiced.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
    reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

The is a song of ascents, (a song sung by pilgrims en route up to Jerusalem or sung on the steps of the Temple as they walk up to the sanctuary to offer worship) written around the same time as the prophecy in yesterday’s daily worship, the 6th century BCE. The people of Judah are still captives in Babylon, hoping that God might release them and return them to Jerusalem. The people reminisce, it’s the way of the Hebrews! It reminds them that God will not abandon them but will, in His time, rescue them — and the powerful nations that surround little Judah will take notice, wondering at the God Who has released them from their captivity.

The interesting thing for me is that although the people do return to Judah, to their beloved holy city of Jerusalem, they are never allowed to direct their destiny themselves ever again, for other nations continue to conquer and rule them. However, the power of the so-called superior nations is nothing compared to the love of God, and the God of their ancestors hears Judah, hears and listens to their cries for help, and this compassionate God restores them.

Restoration is possible because God is the God of the impossible. But what kind of restoration are we expecting of God? The people of Judah went back to Jerusalem, rebuilt the city walls, and restored the temple. I wonder though, was this God’s idea of restoration or was it simply the people longing for the old days and old ways they grew up with? I wonder was the restoration of the city and the temple what God had in mind or was His restoration intention something different? What did Judah, and all that followed regarding God’s people, miss out on because they failed to notice the joy right in front of their eyes, settling instead for what they had aye known, what they were comfortable with?

Often, we are urged to pray for the restoral of the fortunes of the Church, another word we use is revival – what if God’s restoration is not revival as we know it? What if God’s restoration of the Church is completely different to our expectations, our hopes, our visions? What will we miss out on because we cannot or will not open our eyes to see the restoration God is offering His people? How many unnoticed joys are we oblivious to because we refuse to see with the eyes of God?

PRAYER:

O God Who rescues and restores, by Your grace waken us up! Help us actively desire to notice Your love in action, help us be part of Your activity. For Your glory and the good of all Your beloved children in the world, in the name of Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.