Claire Scoma
Psalm 126

Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. 

Psalm 126. It was like a dream when the Lord brought back to Zion those who had been held in another land. Then we laughed with our mouths and we sang with our tongues.

Then it was said among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. Bring back our people, oh Lord, like the rivers in the south.

Those who plant with tears will gather fruit with songs of joy. He who goes out crying as he carries his bag of seed will return with songs of joy as he brings much grain with him. Welcome to the Bridgeway Christian Church Daily Advent Devotional for Wednesday, December 18th.

My name is Claire Skoma. My husband and I serve as re-engaged small group leaders at Bridgeway. Today, I’m going to talk about joy in uncertain times.

When reading Psalm 126, I noticed that the psalmist was remembering a time when God set his people free from captivity. They are describing how it seemed like a dream and remembering the joy they experienced, laughing, singing, and praising God. Later in this passage, they are now experiencing another uncertain time.

The pain is described by the psalmist as tears flowing and people crying as they are doing their daily commitments of planting and scattering seed while they ask God for help. Here’s what Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary on the Bible. Suffering saints are often in tears.

They share the calamities of human life and commonly have a greater share than others. But they that sow in tears, they do the duty of an afflicted state. Weeping must not hinder sowing.

We must get good from times of affliction. And they that sow in the tears of godly sorrow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And that will be a joyful harvest indeed.

Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be forever comforted. Friends, this word of encouragement today is that he sees you, he hears you, even when circumstances look very uncertain. My husband Vince and I have suffered great losses of significant loved ones in our lives.

We’ve endured many painful trials. A particularly painful uncertain time came upon me in my young 20s when life should have been hopeful. Instead, it was a time of deep tragedy and loss for me and my family, especially me.

This was a time of great pain and sorrow. Years after this painful loss, Vince and I picked up the pieces but added on lots of marital conflict between us for various reasons. It took us years for us to understand that God has his joy waiting for us to receive.

Clawing, crying, arguing, bearing each other’s souls through many uncertain times together, Jesus met us there and shared his joy with us. He let us lean on him when we were too weak and calmed us down when overwhelm tried to overtake us. With life experiences and many helpful classes, Vince and I learned to intentionally seek peace and Jesus’s joy.

We began willing to learn his ways, surrendering our own stubborn ways, and we began to analyze our lives differently. With this renewed fuel of his joy, we were able to discover what we needed to heal and grow in a way that God desires. All of us will experience times of uncertainty, and the way it goes, some will have more in their lifetime than others.

Reality is, whether we are living a well-watered life to someone who may be in a place of heavy burdens due to addictions, suffering, loneliness, shattered dreams, loss of loved ones, feeling unworthy, ailments, cruelty, bondage, and other calamities of life, we all need joy and peace, especially during uncertain times. A book I’ve read and referred to many times is Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You by Dr. Jim Wilder. In Wilder’s classes, we learned to redefine what we thought was joy.

Wilder writes, quote, God created us with minds that automatically seek to be whole, and the quest for wholeness is wonderfully boosted by joy during early childhood. Because joy is relational, it is also a contagious experience. When people get their joy properly connected to feelings that have been damaged by a fracturing world, they sense new power and aliveness in all of their relationships, end quote.

Ideally, our childhoods were boosted by joy, but if our childhood was not boosted by joy, there is always hope, because His joy is for all of us. I’m going to take these last few moments to further define this kind of joy. This joy is not a reference to happiness or a fleeting emotion like being happy, and it is not dependent upon our circumstances.

This kind of joy is relational, a secure relational bond with Jesus. When we are connected to Him and His joy, our joy grows, becoming more full, and this joy gives us strength to overcome many adversities. The Bible references this joy that comes from Jesus, who provided His joy for us.

Hebrews 12, 2, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Through Jesus’ sacrifice and His love for us, we can appreciate spending time with Him, even when life has many struggles and can seem uncertain. Jesus is always there for us, glad to be with us, and always shares His joy with us.

He is faithful, even when we are not. He has also gifted us to share this joy and appreciation with other people. We can encourage and lift each other up.

I will conclude with these captivating verses. John 15, 11. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

John 16, 22. So with you, now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy. Blessings upon your day.

May your joy and peace continue to increase and give you strength. Thank you for listening.

Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai