Long Awaited Joy

Psalm 126
126:5 - May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

This psalm was written after 538 BC when the Jewish exiles returned to their homeland after being in captivity for over a generation. Prophets had promised them that God would bring them back to their homeland, but after so many years of waiting it was hard to have faith that God would keep his promise. When they heard the good news that they were being allowed to return home, they were overwhelmed with joy.

In the same way that the Jews had to wait for God’s promise of deliverance from physical captivity, they also had to wait for deliverance from spiritual captivity. That deliverance came in the form of Jesus the Messiah, who came to set his people free from the hold of sin and death.  But once he came, those who believed in him,  then and now, have the joy of knowing freedom from sin and death.

One of my favorite Advent carols is Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus. It expresses well the joy finding one’s spiritual rest in Jesus.

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.

 Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

 Born they people to deliver, born a child and yet a king, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne. – by Charles Wesley