Tears Today, Joy Tomorrow.

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

Psalm 126:3

This Sunday’s lectionary Psalm is 126. The Psalm is a song of hope and restoration, which was sung by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem. While verses 1-3 focus on remembering God’s past faithfulness, v 4-6 form a prayer for both present and future restoration.

The psalmist trusts that, just as God has been faithful before, God will bring renewal again.

The image of the final verses always astound me: “Those who sow in tears will reap with joy.” The words ‘Tears’ and ‘Joy’, rarely seem to co-exist.

However, what if we thought of the act of planting while weeping, as having faith in God’s unseen work? Holding onto hope in hardship – planting seeds in faith. Even in difficult seasons.

Lent often feels like a journey through dry fields, sowing seeds of faith while wondering if anything will grow.

Psalm 126 reminds us that God’s people have been here before. They have been crying, waiting, longing. And yet, they testify: “The Lord has done great things for us.”

This is the rhythm of faith. Trusting that sorrow is not the end of the story. Jesus knew what it meant to sow in tears. He wept over Jerusalem, cried at Lazarus’s tomb, and carried the weight of sorrow all the way to the cross. But he also knew that sorrow isn’t the end of the story. His tears paved the way for resurrection joy.

Lent reminds us that sometimes love looks like planting seeds in dry, weary places. Maybe you’re praying for someone who doesn’t seem to change, or working hard for little acknowledgement, or walking through grief that feels endless.

The promise of Psalm 126 is this:

God sees. God gathers every tear.
And one day, those seeds of sorrow will bloom into joy.

So if today feels heavy, hold on.
Easter is coming. And with Jesus, love, joy and hope are constant.

Blessings — Rev. Carmel