Day ten of a daily meditation, a practice of free writing on words of Advent this season...
I'm borrowing a quote from a friend's blog tonight, who borrowed it from Brennan Manning - because it's just that good:
"Christmas says that we have everything going [for us] —
Jesus, the journey and the dream.”
And though the last thing I want is to leave anyone out, as I sit tired in this bed, unable to rest until I've rested my thoughts here with Christ, I know what I write tonight is specially for those who know a dream and the pain of losing it. Who have forgotten how to dream, or perhaps are afraid to risk hoping again. Those who look beyond today and feel weary, exhausted from the journey, unexcited for tomorrow.
I've read this short Psalm so many times - a whole six verses - rushing through to cling to the hope contained in the final two verses. Today, I got stuck on the last word in verse one.
When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
~Psalm 126
When these captives returned, so did their dreams.
So did their laughter.
And they were filled with songs.
And I don't know about you, but that strengthens my weary heart.
Christmas brings the captives streaming back home to safety and freedom;
releases locked up hearts to dream again;
births new dreams where old ones have died;
fills mouths with laughter and tongues with songs of gratitude and praise;
promises a harvest of joy for seasons spent out in the fields weeping,
bearing seed, day after day,
waiting for the crops to grow.
We yearn for the dream, and in time we see, the dream is Jesus - and we can only know this through the journey of coming back home to him. With him. And all of life is this journey, is it not?
I could dream a thousand dreams and plant ten thousand seeds, and in the end, they all could burn but one. And I stand here, captive only now to hope.
"And I stand here, captive only to hope." Dearest friend, given the last two days, these words ring through my mind, a faraway echo of hope that looks different now. It is so hard to cling to the dream in times like these, and yet we must. We do yearn for the dream, and yes, the dream can only be found in Jesus. This world of dark and pain and violence and cruelty and lost innocence and death -- only Jesus, only Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me ache - "only Jesus, only Jesus." I don't know what else to say, but yes. We must not let go.
Delete