Bringing in the Sheaves

I recently had the privilege to go to the wedding of one of my dearest friends' daughters. During the ceremony, I leaned over to my husband and whispered, "I'm a sap." I say there weeping, I mean, every time I saw my friend I would start crying and just throughout the ceremony I would weep, just seeing how the Lord in His amazing Sovereignty had brought this couple together and blessed them. It was beautiful. Did I have any tissues? Nope. Of course not. The funny part about this all is that I cry all the time, I'm actually even a sympathy crier. If good friends are crying I will join in. So you would think at almost 31 years old, I would have learned by now to carry some tissues, but rarely will I find any in my purse. It's quite funny.

I sit in worship at church and I ball my eyes out, I can be alone in the car with some awesome praise music on, and here comes the fountain! I don't know what it is, I just know that's how the Lord has made me. So the other day as I was reading through the Psalms, I came across this verse and it just melted my heart. "He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 Now I did not grow up in the church, nor around hymns, but it was as I was reading and studying this, the Lord brought to my mind that hymn, "Bringing in the sheaves" I do not know the words other than the course, "we shall come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves." For the last few weeks I've been singing this in my head over and over again, it's been so neat because I've gone now and studied this verse. It just seems to characterize my life. Often in worship, as I weep, it is for good reason, I mean...who is God? and who am I? He is ALL and I am NOT! So as I stand worshiping the One and Only Creator, isn't it only natural that I would weep before Him in awe of Who He is. What is even more amazing to me, as I researched this verse and dug into the meaning in the Hebrew, I found that "weeping" actually means, to weep, bewail, cry, or shed tears. To weep specifically in grief, humiliation or joy. How good is our God...for years I have wept before Him with joy in my heart that words can not express! God is good, He is amazing and He is sufficient. So many times I've wept before Him out of humiliation and grief...our God is amazing ladies!

Right now...I'm facing some testing and possible surgery. I've got serious allergies, and I continue to get sinus infections and tonsil infections and so recently the doctor decided I need to see a specialist and more than likely have my tonsils removed in hopes of eliminating the constant infections and need for antibiotics. However there is a chance that even after removing my tonsils I could still get the infections, which would then point to a much more serious problem of a deeper underlying infection that will have to be addressed, possibly from years of sinus infections (ten plus years). At any rate...all this to say. The Lord knew this, and as a mom it's tough to look at your children every day and love on them, and then in the back of your mind know...there could be something really wrong, and at any moment that could be it, and you may not live to see them grow and develop and have families of their own. It's a whole lot of "what-ifs" to let my mind ponder on. As I've been waiting for my appointment to come (I've been waiting about three weeks now), there's always that battle of taking my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ as in 2 Cor. 10:5. and thinking only on whatsoever is true as in Phil. 4:8. Both of these, by the marvelous grace of our God, I have done, and just refused to think on the negative and the what-ifs. I am instead choosing to trust God and live in the moment that He has given me now, and continue to go forth sowing the seeds of His word in the lives of my three little ones. I am a bit nervous, I guess because of the unknown. There are many outcomes, but only ONE God. Who knows it all anyway, and is not worried. So why should I be?

Instead rather I am going about sowing the seeds, living the life He has given me, weeping before Him as I always do, tears of joy, humiliation and grief. Not over this most recent circumstance, but of the necessity of salvation for the lost, my dear family needs Jesus! My children need Jesus, and my oldest is starting to understand his need for Him! Within my close circle of 'friends' there are two marriages that need an intervention from God! They need God to restore and reconcile as only He can.

Whatever my appointment brings this week, I know I will have the peace of the Lord Christ in my heart, and the protection of the Creator on my side....not because of anything I have done....but by His great compassion, and by His marvelous grace.

So I think I'll just enjoy the tears, even as at times they've been brought on by thinking about what could happen with my current circumstance, I reflect and realize how I fail the Lord in so many ways and so many times, daily. I'll enjoy them because, "He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 NAS I will be returning with shouts of joy, already the Lord has given me so much to be joyful about, all of which hinges on the salvation provided for me by our incomparable Christ.

I am praying dear sisters, that we would sow with weeping recognizing how amazing our God is, and all that He has done for us, and out of the abundance our hearts would overflow and we would share Him. Sowing the seeds of His word into the lives of our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers. All those around us, that one day His church can rise up with shouts of joy, bringing in together our sheaves. A Sheaf is something, bound, and in this verse is speaking of the Israelites returning from exile. They were once bound in Egypt as slaves, and God heard their cry, and He set them free. So as I weep with tears of humiliation over my sin, repenting before the Lord, He lovingly sets me free, as He did the Isaraelites. Even now, as I have wept over this situation, He alone sets me free from the worry of it all, because He holds this all in the palm of His hand, and He will be with me every step of the way. Just as He is with all those who call upon His name.

So I encourage you ladies, cry! If you need to, just let it go. There will be a day when those who have sowed seeds with weeping will come with shouts of joy bringing in their sheaves! Oh, what a day that will be!!!

I have to include this for you, it's amazing:

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain