Reaping Joy

Psalm 126:1-6 One of the fruit of the Spirit is joy, and whenever we sow love into the lives of others, we can expect to reap joy. There is nothing in this life that brings more joy to me than to see my children blessed and serving the Lord with faithfulness. If this brings joy to my heart, can you imagine the joy God experiences when He sees His children walking in love with others?

This psalm is one of the SONGS OF DEGREES. The songs of degrees were sung by the men and their families as they went up to worship the Lord three times a year. As they climbed upward to Jerusalem, a city set on a hill, they sang these songs. They remembered the great things the Lord had done for them, and this made them rejoice and be glad. Even though there were tearful memories, they knew their tears would reap joy one day. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (vv. 5-6).

We all have precious seed to bear that brings forth sheaves even if we have no natural children.

Those who have children have the opportunity to sow the seed of God’s Word into their children and then enjoy seeing the results of their planting as their children reach adulthood. Those who do not have natural children also can sow the precious seed of God’s Word into the lives of others, and they can experience the joy of many spiritual children. Any parent will tell you that their years of parenting included many tears, but what they see now is worth all the tears. Whenever anyone cries over a lost soul in intercession, that person also is sowing tears that will reap much joy later.

We can daily add to God’s joy simply by walking in His ways and keeping His command to love Him with all of our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. The thought of being able to sow joy into the heart of God as we sow love into the hearts of men is something to meditate on daily. If our motivation every morning is to love with the love of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will give us the power and grace to do just that. We will then have the joy of seeing many in heaven upon whom our tears of intercession and our touch of love had an eternal effect. There is a great harvest of souls waiting. Are you willing to spend some time reaping this harvest through weeping intercession? The joy that awaits you when you sow with tears is beyond expression.

Lord, forgive me for not sowing more into the lives of others by declaring Your Word to them and praying for them. Give me the grace and power to love like Jesus today, and I know this will undoubtedly include shedding tears that will later reap great joy.