Sorrowful Sowing Sees Sustenance

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Ps 126:5-6 AV)

According to my reading schedule, the organizer places this psalm at the time of Israel’s return from the scattered provinces of the Medes and Persians to the land of Canaan.  Specifically, the return of the workers under Ezra and Nehemiah.  This Psalm is an encouragement and challenge to those in captivity to continue to carry on as much as they can in adverse circumstances because the circumstances will eventually change.  This psalm could have been composed at the onset of Judah’s seventy-year captivity.  The writer is unknown.  It is referred to as a psalm of degrees.  Simply put, a psalm of degrees is sung while either ascending or descending the steps that lead into and out of the temple.  Like the mercury in a thermometer goes up and down by degrees, the penitent worshippers would sing this psalm as he either ascended or descended the steps of the temple.  The point is obvious.  In order to bring fruit, one must sow seed.  Circumstances do not dictate the need to sow.  If there is to be fruit in good times, then in times of adversity, the seed must be sown.  The going forth is the going forth into captivity.  The sheaves are the sheaves produced in captivity which sustains them into victory. 

What one sees on those hunting shows is not a true reflection of the experience.  There is a lot of toil and work that goes into a successful hunt.  There is some suffering along the way.  I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have gone into the deer woods only to come out again empty-handed and nearly frozen.  Some of my harshest experiences were in late muzzleloader season or late archery season.  There were the trips to Necedah, WI that I hope never to have to endure ever again.  Not fun at all.  There were a few in my novice years that were not exactly pleasurable.  Those where the times I could not afford sufficient equipment let alone the best.  So, I would often return to the house with blue toes and fingers with no venison to speak of.  The thing is, going into the experience, one must be as prepared as he can be.  The equipment must be in good working order.  The weapon of choice must be sighted in.  There are countless hours of scouting, building or setting a stand, clearing some lines of sight, and scent baiting.  Where local or state laws permit, there is baiting.  Either with grain or salt blocks, or both.  One might call all this preparation, precious seed.  All these things are investments in what we hope to be a successful hunt.  They are the works of faith that are placed which helps us endure freezing mornings and wet afternoons.  Endless hours of watching fields or trails.  Watching the sunset knowing you haven’t fired one round and then seeing a coyote run off across your field.  Some of the greatest hunts have been in some of the harshest of conditions.  Snow, rain, and cold come to mind.  One that sticks out in my mind was the last day of the season around 2016.  It was the third week of January.  It was an archery season.  The temperature at noon was nine degrees with a steady wind out of the north.  Bone-chilling.  It was that evening when I saw two of the biggest bucks I have ever seen walking together.  That was a sheave.

Sheaves in times of joy are impossible unless the precious seed is carried into times of adversity.  Last night, the LORD had me pull and audible.  We preached out of Esther chapter nine.  The memorial of Purim.  This holiday was mandated by Mordecai to be celebrated yearly on the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar.  This they did year in and year out.  It was a celebration of the great victory God wrought by the hand of Esther and Mordechai for their people.  The thing is, there would be five hundred or so more years of hardship for Israel until Messiah comes.  No excuses.  They were to celebrate this national holiday marked by celebration and giving of gifts lest they forget in the midst of hard times how good God had been.  It was an anchor for the discouraged soul.  The verse above is along the same lines.  No matter how bad things get, the seed still has to be sown.  If not, there will be no food to eat.  No matter how bad things get, they won’t always stay that way.  Those who do not give up will have sheaves when things turn for the better.  The bottom line is, no matter what life may bring, we need to sow seed.  This seed is a declaration of hope for the future.  This is the hope every child of God has.