Psalm 125:2
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.
Stepping Up (SU) p. 71:
God has you surrounded. His presence looms over you from every direction.
What a joyful promise!
Psalm 126
1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.
2 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 them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
In explaining the importance to sow in order to reap, Beth shares this story (SU p.81)
"Isak Pretorius said, 'One of the most frustrating things is that in villages where they receive seed, they often eat the seed rather than planting it and bringing forth harvest.' I couldn't get the statement out of my mind and suddenly had an answer to the questions I most often ask God: Why do some people see the results of the Word and others don't? Why do some study the Word of God yet remain in their captivity?"
I sit here stupefied. Why have I struggled to "get it"? for so long? Why haven't I made more progress in my walk despite enormous amounts of good teaching and community? Because I ate the seed instead of sowing it. For so many years that I read about the armor of God, rather than giving it a place to take root in my life, I just ingested the message and moved on.
(Of course, the pun about "eating" the seed is not lost on me in my journey to freedom from gluttony.)
Lord, help me not to be wasteful with Your word and teaching. Remind me to meditate on it and find an application for it so there will be an affect on my life. Be glorified, Lord, because You have changed me.
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