Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Hope of renewal in hardships
Bible Reading:   Psalms 126
Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

DEVOTION

Tears can represent a wide range of emotions and experiences like sadness, grief, joy, relief, and compassion. In spiritual context tears can be seen as a manifestation of God’s grace, allowing individuals to connect with the divine God and find solace in difficult times. In our personal life, tears are often associated with prayer, repentance, deliverance and spiritual growth. 
Psalm 126 is one of the 15 songs of Ascend (Psalms 120-134). The Israelites sang as they ascended to Jerusalem annually for three festivals: the festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Shelters (Deut.16:16). They were captive under the Babylonian rule for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11). Psalm 126 reflects upon the past, present and future of the Israelites when they returned from the bondage of slavery and sin due to disobedience and idol worship. God returned the Israelites around 538 BC when Cyrus, the Persian King, allowed them to depart from Babylon to rebuild the temple (Jeremiah 29:10). They were filled with joy and relief to be back from exile. They sang faithfulness of God’s promise in times of distress.  The Israelites experienced profound joy upon their return to the Promised Land, rebuilding the temple, and sang and rejoiced once again!
Hardships and sorrows are followed by joy and harvest. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. Trusting in God’s promises when the present circumstances seem bleak will give ultimate joy and fulfillment. 
We read from the Scripture that God answered the prayers and wiped away the tears of Hannah, Hagar, Joseph, David, Jeremiah and many more. God heard their cries and delivered them from their enemies and gave them victory. Their prayers led to positive outcomes. We take comfort from knowing our Lord sees our tears and answers our prayers. He is a compassionate and comforting God in times of grief and sorrow when we fully trust in Him and depend upon Him completely. 

PRAYER

Father God we thank you for giving the grace of tears in our eyes. Help us to come closer to you with tearful prayers. You are the God who is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We thank you for answering our prayer daily and wiping away our tears in times of sorrow and giving us eternal joy. 

Thought for the day

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted – Matthew 5:4

Angie Mathews, St. John’s Mar Thoma Church, New York.

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