Morning Dew
Key Passage: Psalm 126 (Read this entire Psalm)
Key Text: Psalm 126: 4 – “Turn again our captivity, O Jehovah, As the streams in the South.”
Sometimes it appears as if one is locked into a permanent state of defeat and all one needs to do is learn how to cope with the situation. It could be an incurable illness, a financial position, childlessness, singleness etc. One may actually have lost all hope of a change to the situation, and as such one just settles for whatever that condition is. People pray, fast and sacrifice great offerings and still they haven’t got the desired breakthrough, so it appears that God will never answer those prayers. We resign and just simply get on with life. This is quite understandable, as the bible tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick. So as a way of coping we simply stop expecting and believing. But today’s scripture tells us something quite marvellous.
God always has the final say. He would be glorified in every situation and we must remember, He is still in control, even when everything looks bleak. The reading today, shows us that God turned around the captivity of Zion. They had been in captivity in Babylon for decades and all hope of returning to Israel and Jerusalem was fading, but God was not done with Israel. God was about to show His power in a desolate situation. He suddenly opened the way for them and they returned to israel after seventy years in captivity.
The writer of Psalm 126, started by saying “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream and our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with singing.” God is the master of turnarounds and He is the God who suddenly shows up and releases His people, when all hope is lost. Reading further into this powerful Psalm, one would observe in verse 4 a small prayer “Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.” The streams of the south actually is a figure of speech describing a phenomenon that happens in Israel. The South is actually the Negev desert or wilderness. If you have ever been there, then you would understand what this means. The Negev is so dry and desolate, it is totally unimaginable that anything can grow or develop there. But at a certain period in the year flash floods from rains sweep suddenly into the Negev desert and within a few days, green shoots appear all over the place. The floods come totally unexpected and quite fast. So most people are never ready, they are just surprised. God will surprise you!
So today, I want to encourage you not to give up. God is the God who turns the desert into a fertile ground. He is the God of the Negev. The God of the turn around. I like what the Psalmist wrote, he said, “we were like those who dream and our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad.” The Lord will fill your mouth with laughter and your tongue with songs. People will see what God has done for you and they will declare His praise. You will be glad when the Lord turns around your situation.
Sometimes it appears as if God is late, but He is never late. He is always on time!
He is the God who turns things around and makes everything beautiful in its own time!
Let’s Pray: Father In Heaven, I can only gaze upon you majesty and fall in awe of you. I want to affirm that you are the God of the ‘suddenlies’ and the God of the ‘turnarounds’. I wait for You Lord. I want to laugh and I want to sing new songs of praise to You. Come as the streams of the Negev and turn my desert situation into a green lush field. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.