Psalm 126 Awaking from the Dream

Have you noticed that we tend to label things we do not want or do not like, evil? It is interesting how we take our own expectations and standards and make them the benchmark for ‘right’ in the world. Much of the suffering in this world is merely a dream (or perhaps nightmare) of our own creation. This is not to say that we should completely discount the presence of evil in the world, but it does help us take a step back and look more closely. More often than not our experience of suffering is caused by our own inability to let go of what we think should be and instead accept on what is.

When we focus on how we think the world should be we are asleep at the steering wheel of life. For once we are awakened, we see and understand that behind, underneath, in and around everything is God and God’s great works. We cannot expect to understand the meaning of what we see and experience unless we seek the Truth and the gift to see things from the God’s eye view.

How often have you pined away for something that you thought you wanted in your life, only to discover that once you got closer to it you would have been miserable if you had had it? In the depths of our lamenting that we do not have what we desire, we are in a dream of our own creation. Suffering is really our inability to understand our relationship to God. In Truth, God is constantly working in our lives to bring about our highest and best good (restored the fortunes of Zion). But we rarely have the ability to see clearly what is best for us. Metaphysically, fortunes represent the full understanding of God as our source of supply. The dream is not the laughter and joy, the dream is the belief in the lack or misfortune.

In Hebrew verse 3 actually suggests that the Lord has done great things along with us not for us. It is important to remember that we are the instruments of God’s will on this planet and it is our privilege to accept that responsibility. Most people try to hide from that challenge, but that is impossible. One way or another God will get our attention. Often times we find ourselves in great difficulty (of course of our own doing) before we finally agree to step up to the awesome duty of being an instrument of God. We can only do that if we let go of our own ideas of how things should be.

We have our fortunes restored, to the extent that we accept the guidance of God. When we allow the cleansing, purifying current of Spirit (watercourses) carry out its work, we make rapid progress on our spiritual path. Although the process of growth may seem difficult at times (sow in tears) the seeker of Truth knows that behind each experience is God’s guiding light bringing the greatest good into our lives (reap with shouts of joy). The seed represents the spiritual core of every person that is our true nature. We must do the challenging work of throwing off the layers of error and confusion that block the germination of that seed, so that we can claim our spiritual inheritance (carrying their sheaves). In the depths of our despair if we surrender our perspective and allow God in, we will be awakened from our dream of misfortune and see the truth: that all is working together for God’s unfolding plan.

And so it is! Amen!