Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

This brief Psalm is dearly loved because it is such a beautiful message of hope. These verses have been set to music multiple times, and the songs are fighting for dominance in my head! This Psalm is a reaction to the Jews returning to their land after the Babylonian captivity, which was a demonstration to them that indeed, nothing is impossible for God. (Jeremiah 32:17) We know that in our heads, but life has a way of slapping us in the face, and we forget. We need to remember that God has a plan and it is going to be fulfilled, and it is a good plan. (Jeremiah 29:11) We are to apply ourselves fully and not be presumptive, but at the same time leave it all in God’s hands. These verses are particularly applicable to missionary or evangelistic work, because of Jesus’ famous parable of the seed being the message of the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 13:1-23) There are countless frustrations and even tears involved, but the Psalmist reminds us that there will be harvest. We are never to forget that.

Of course, as a missionary pastor, I cling to this! We’ve been in Omura now going on 44 years, and though the Lord has brought people of many nations to Himself through us in that interval, our current attendance on Sunday mornings runs around 20 – which is at least much better than the less-than-10 it was just a few years ago. The thing is, it’s not about numbers, but about specific individuals. We have had some triumphs, but we have also seen people we had witnessed to for years die without a sign of commitment to Christ. That is heartbreaking. We have certainly learned that we ourselves can save no one, but that God can use even us to save people. Right now there is one man I’m working with particularly, but there are many more that we earnestly want to see come into the Kingdom. I am not to give up on any of them, but focus on faithfulness. I really want the Lord to return, but I also want to see massive harvest in Japan before He does!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your plans, even though we see just hints of them. Help me trust You fully and obey You faithfully, so that I may be useful to You in all that You want to do in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!