Title Pilgrim's Thanksgiving (Translation)
Contents
Psalm 126
When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for then."
The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes,
O Lord, like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes our weeping carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.
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There were two people who were arguing, one was a Christian and other was an atheist. Christian would proclaim that God is everywhere, while atheist would claim that God doesn't exist and he is only a figment of our imagination. Since there was no easy way to settle the argument, they decided to use the most powerful computer to settle their argument.
When they input the following question, "Does God exist?" the computer quickly spat out following two letters, GODISNOWHERE.
Now when the atheist saw this he laughs out loud and said with great enthusiasm, "You see 'God is nowhere'"
However, the Christian was quick to correct the atheist by saying, "what the computer was trying to say was the 'God is now here'"
Even with the aid of the most powerful computer, the God's existence was unresolved and the difference between the Christian and the atheist continued. By this example it is safe to say, it is based on your faith, belief and what is in your heart, will dictate either you believe in the existence of God.
All Christians believe in the Lord our God. Everyone believes in the Lord God's omni presents. This belief in the Lord is important but this is not enough. What is most important is to develop a personal relationship with the Lord our God.
Thanksgiving person
There is another thing that is important to the successful Christian; it is to give sincere thanks to the Lord our God. To be able to give thanks with all your heart there must exist a close relationship with the Lord. Therefore, it is safe to assume that if you could give a sincere thanks to the Lord, than your relationship with the Lord is well on the way.
As I have stated in the pass that our Christian life can be simply expressed in this way, "before the meal, give prayer of thanks, never complain about the food, but only have thanksgiving and enjoy the meal".
As a Christian we must give thanks for our daily life, and the thanksgiving must be a part of our life. Therefore, our life should be center around the thanksgiving. In another word if you could keep a life of thanksgiving,than your Christian life is an automatically there for you.
Thanksgiving from the today's text…
In this Psalm it talks about 'happiness during the harvest' and 'pilgrimage to Jerusalem'.
These are the two subtitles or two categories could be explored in the passage. One is of joy of a celebration and there is a celebration of an end of a journey. There is a two common theme that is shared by the two celebrations.
1. We must acknowledge that all things belong to the Lord!
It is true we celebrate the fruitful harvest which is provided by the Lord. But the truth of the matter is that we are only receiving what belong to Lord. Therefore, we should truly be thankful.
As a pilgrim it is hard to have any large possession, because it becomes a burden that is hard to carry. When the pilgrims gave thanks for their harvest, they accredited the Lord as the provider. Because the pilgrimsknow and believed that all things belongs to the Lord, therefore, their thanksgiving was to thanks the Lord for what He had provide for them, this thanksgiving of the pilgrim is what we need to practice today.
2. Finding happiness by doing your best.
In today's reading 'Those who sow in tears will reap with songsof joy. He, who goes our weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.' In this text, it is talking about same thing twice which signifies the importance.
True thanksgiving belongs to one who sows in tears. To understand the true meaning of thanksgiving through work is hard to achieve. Everyone experience a many hardships during their career or labor. However, scripture tells us that as we over come each of these hardship we gain that much more appreciation for the true thanksgiving because the Lord is there to provide us with what is needed by us.
In today's text, the Israelites were living in the time of Babylon. When the Israelites were free from captivity they had to start all over again. Not only building of city but also to farm the field which has been long neglected. Can you imagine the hardship which they had to endure? If we could then we could understand the text in the Psalm 126. Finding happiness during the hardship.
In conclusion
It would be true to state that atheist would laugh at a Christian who would giving thank to the Lord during their hardest time. Atheist would further challenge the Christian by saying, 'if the Lord does exist, why should you work, you should be able to get everything you need from the Lord. However, our true thanksgiving is not if this kind.
People who sow in tear and work for the peace will be granted with thanksgiving of great joy. As such the people who serve in the Lord with tears will be granted a great joy of thanksgiving.
This is what the Lord Jesus has showed to us. Lord Jesus sacrificed himself in tear on to the cross for us for our sin. This is the reason why we should rejoice in the Lord and give worship to Him. Then Lord our God will receive this worship with joy and gladness of fruitful harvest.
Today's Psalm is the Lord's song and it is also our song. Let this song be come a part of your life from now and forever.
Translated by Jong Ho Kim