“When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ ” Psalms 126:1-2
The recent release of Pastor Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison provided a powerful image of the transformation that takes place when a prisoner is released from captivity. It not only impacted the life of one man, it brought joy to the soul of a nation.
The Psalmist led the people of Israel to praise God for the restoration and recovery that comes when The LORD “brought back the captive one’s of Israel.”
It us understood, that King David would not have been aware of the return of the captives from their Babylonian captivity. This Psalm is a call to rejoice every time the Spirit of the Living God intervenes to break the chains of captivity. It is also a reminder that a watching world is waiting to praise God for it.
The Hebrew language is rich and complex. From my one year of study of it in seminary, I only scratched the surface of its depth, but Hebrew created an itch in my spirit to know more.
From what I can determine, the same word for dream can also mean a restoration to robust health. Literally it meant plump, or fat and fleshy. It was used to describe the healthy state of growing infants and reproducing flocks.
Dreamers are not those who walk around in a cosmic coma like Zion Zombies. They are overjoyed at the release from their captivity and overwhelmed by God’s gracious intervention on their behalf.
There are all kinds of captives, trapped in a plethora of prisons. The mission of our ancient enemy is to “steal, kill and destroy.” Those who enter his grotesque gulag often do so willingly. Don’t be one of them.
One of the price tags of a consumer culture is the cost it puts on granting people the desires of their heart. It devours joy by granting people exactly what they want. Transforming the human drive to make a difference into the drudgery of making a living robs people of joy, by depriving them of sleep, and incarcerating them in debtor’s prison.
America is recognized as the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. By comparison, people in America living in poverty still have a standard of living that surpasses most of Western Europe. In spite of America’s abundance, there is little joy among “The Haves” and there is great angst among “The Have Nots.” Both camps are composed of captives who need to be released from prison, and they both have members active in your local church. Set them free.
Joy is the spontaneous expression of a healthy, restored, robust soul. Entertainment is the world’s substitute for joy, and those who drink from that well are not quenching their thirst from a cultural Kool-Aid. They are dying of thirst from swallowing Satan’s salt water. Give them living water.
“Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.” Psalms 126:2
“Then” is one of those words that God loves to use as a tipping point in the middle of what appears to be an encounter with the impossible. By itself “Then” does not hold great significance. Thanks to the Blue Letter Bible Commentary I know it is, “a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a conjunction, therefore: beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.” See what I mean.
It comes as no surprise that parents do not select “Then” as a biblical name for their children. Perhaps they should. When “Then” is attached to the power and The Presence of The Living God the tipping point of a crisis is transformed into a turning point in the life of a child of God. Never underestimate “Then.”
My father, Don Miller, was fond of reminding me that prayer has the capacity to transform the “impossible” into the “HIMpossible.” This only happens…EVERY TIME.
The Dreamers are the children of God who have been set free from captivity. They exhibit a robust, healthy personal plumpness and a corporate countenance of joy that cannot be hidden from a world starving for it. While feasting on laughter they still hunger for joy. Scripture reminds us that when they see it, they don’t envy it. They praise God for it.
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
NOTE TO SELF: Don’t rob yourself of joy by willingly signing over your assets to a false god offered up to you by a real thief. God can turn your place of captivity into a turning point. He releases your debts and restores your dreams. Prayer empowers you to dream again.
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!