Today we read a psalm titled “A Harvest of Joy.” (NRSV) It is full of hope, promises and blessings, even to those who sow in tears.
Our lives are filled with challenges each and every day. School children are challenged with finding a place to belong and fit in with peers. Teens face decisions on the temptations of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, while seeking their way to a meaningful career path. Young adults struggle with finding employment and affordable housing. Family-aged parents deal with financial issues, juggling timetables and keeping lines of communication open with spouses and children. Single parents do as well, with often not a great support network. Retired adults worry about pensions, feeling isolated, health issues and the loss of lifelong partners.
The good news is that, in every stage of our lives, we need to be like those in Zion who were encouraged to dream, even when the challenges of life seemed overwhelming. The Lord does great things for all who allow his living watercourses to flow into them. Let us rejoice and be glad in a God who walks with us in every stage of life-tearful times or not.
Lord, continue to do great things for us, even as we often sow in sorrow. Let us sing with shouts of joy for your goodness. Amen. — ES