Eliana, my granddaughter with her contagious laugh!
The Fullness of Life is Like a Dream
From Psalm 126: When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
You've had those moments, and I have had those moments, when we think, "This just seems too good to be true!" It was when Nellie and I first started dating that we would tell each other, "Pinch me, because I think I'm dreaming!" And yes, several times, we would. Not hard, thank God! It was as if to say, "This just seems too good to be true." And for the sinner who awakens to find his/her sin removed, it seems just too good to be true. For the captive in life-threatening vices, who discovers that she/he has been released, again, too good to be true. For the patient who gets the notice of remission or healing, again, yes, too good to be true. The psalmist knew those moments, and he writes almost wishing the people of God would know that feeling when their "fortunes" were restored. Laughter should follow, as should jumping and leaping as we praise God for God's restoration of our lives to that level marked "Full."
Advent continues that journey of expectation and hope, that those who do not yet know the goodness of God might come to know and come to have their hearts and lives re-set to Full. May the tears cried in sorrow turn to great shouts of laughter; and may that laughter be contagious to those around us. This is just too good to be kept to ourselves.
PRAYER: Awesome God, what joy has come to us who have been forgiven, healed, restored, reconciled to You, and the list continues; let our tears turn to joy and laughter, and the kind of laughter that makes others notice and turn to You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
