Grace Deeply Needed

 

Yesterday was a time of discovery and great heartbreaking disappointment. We got a first hand statement of bitterness and deep anger of a person against a parent. Our prayers afterwards did not erase the sorrow, which was not the reason for praying anyway. The rift is so deep that it seems impossible for even God to bring reconciliation and forgiveness. I don’t often cry myself to sleep.

Piper’s reading for today begins with this:

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5-6)

He points out that there is nothing sad about sowing seed. It takes no more work than reaping. The days can be beautiful. There can be great hope of harvest. Yet Psalm 126 speaks of “sowing in tears.” It says that someone “goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing.” Why is he weeping?

The reasons could be many but the gist of this passage is that I am not to let sorrow or any other emotion or event in my life stop me from “speaking the truth in love” to whoever needs to hear it, even to the person whose outburst put such anguish in my heart. This psalm teaches the tough truth that there is work to be done whether I am emotionally up for it or not, and it is good for me to do it. Otherwise there will be no harvest.

PRAY: Jesus, the pain of this sadness is mind-numbing and filling my thoughts with jumble. Also thinking why nothing I can say will be effective or appropriate or even heard, let alone helpful. This is a description of my weakness? Or is it doubt in Your ability to use my weakness as an opportunity for Your strength to shine? All I can think is that I need to be filled with Your Spirit and the confidence to speak whatever You put on my heart, or the confidence to keep my mouth shut  — if that is what You ask me to do.