Today’s scripture: Psalm 126 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Michael Landon):
When I first read today’s psalm, a song that I learned as a child quickly began to run through my mind: “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay.” The song then goes on to say, “And I’m so happy, so very happy, I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart; and I’m so happy, so very happy, I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart . . .” This was a favorite as a child and over the years in many different churches I have gotten to see the joyous expressions of others when this song is sung. The joy of the song becomes contagious, because joy is contagious.
We can experience joy when something big or momentous occurs — especially when it was unexpected. Like in Psalm 126, the fortunes of Zion had been restored by God at a time of deep sorrow; and the people responded with great joy and laughter, and even other nations noticed what happened. This response of joy is a way of giving thanks to God, for all that God has done.
Yet joy can also come from seemingly little things. In my recent move to Indianapolis I was packing up my belongings, cleaning, and purging accumulated clutter when I found something I thought had been lost several years prior. After my grandparents died in 1998, I inherited, among other things, my grandmother’s antique secretary. As a child I loved to look at it, and the various treasures that were inside. There was an ornate key that rested in the keyhole of the dropdown writing surface. In a previous move, the key disappeared. I was sad that it was gone, and the secretary just didn’t look the same — but I still loved it.
Well as I said, I was cleaning things in preparation for my recent move. I had emptied the secretary of all its contents and was giving it a good cleaning. As I moved the dust cloth under a tiny shelf I heard a strange scraping sound, and when I pulled the cloth out, there was the little key. Somehow it had gotten stuck under the shelf and what I had thought was forever lost, was returned. I sang out in great joy and my heart was so happy. Each day that I look at the secretary with the key resting in the keyhole, I am filled anew with a sense of joy. The little key and secretary are a connection to my grandparents and their love for me and my love for them. Deeper down, it is a connection to God’s love.
My experience with this key is similar to the parable of the lost sheep or the lost coin, except that I had stopped looking; I had given up hope that what was lost would ever be found again — after all, it had been lost for 14 years. So I am reminded that even when I have given up hope, God has not stopped being active; even when least expected, wondrous things can happen; even in the deepest of sorrows, joy can emerge. That joy is a gift from God that dwells deep down within us. Sometimes life can feel like we may never experience joy again, but joy is still within us — waiting to emerge anew — waiting for us to respond with thanksgiving for God’s love.
Thought for the day: Reflect on your life and notice those times when you have been aware of God’s love and presence, or when something that was lost had been found once again — and sing a song of joy or do a little happy dance; express your joy and thankfulness — it is deep in down in your heart.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.