Bible Reading: Psalm 137
Key Verse: Verse 2 – "“We hanged our harps upon the willows
in the midst thereof."
Key Words: We hanged
our harps upon the willows
The willow tree represents the
tree of lost joy. The psalmist was
talking about Israel. He was talking
about the day they hung their harps in the willow trees and gave up hope. It would be like a preacher putting his Bible
on a shelf and saying, “I give up!”
Have you ever hung your harp upon
the willow tree? Have you ever said you
were not going to sing anymore or play anymore?
It seems as though the writer of
this Psalm is writing during a time of captivity, the captivity has led them to
hang their harps and lose their joy. But
there is no doubt, no matter what the reason, they have lost the joy of their
salvation.
Where is joy found?
Not in unbelief – Voltaire was an
infidel of the most pronounced type. He
wrote: “I wish I had never been born.”
Not in money – Jay Gould, the
American millionaire, had plenty of money.
Yet when on his deathbed he said: “I suppose I am the most miserable
devil on earth.”
Certainly joy is not found in
infidelity to God! Thomas Payne cried
out during his last moments: “O Lord, help me!
God, help me! Jesus Christ, help
me!” Voltaire said, “I am lost! I am lost!
Oh, that I had never been born!”
Colonel Charterius is reported to have said, “I would gladly give 30,000
pounds to have it proven to my satisfaction that there is no such place as
hell.”
Joy is not found in
pleasure. Lord Byron, who reveled in
pleasure all his days, wrote on his last birthday: “My days are in the yellow
leaf. The flowers and fruits of life are
gone. The worm, the canker, and grief
are mine alone!” He was twenty-five
years old when he wrote that!
J. Wilbur Chapman wrote: “In
church last Sunday I noted a small child who was turning around smiling at
everyone. He was not gurgling, spitting,
humming, tearing the hymnbooks apart, or rummaging through his mother’s
purse. He was just smiling. Suddenly his mother jerked him around, and in
a stage whisper that everyone could hear, said, ‘Stop grinning. You’re in church.’ With that she gave him a slap on his
hindside, and as the tears rolled down his cheeks she added, ‘That is better,’
and returned to her prayers. If you
cannot grin in church, where can you be happy?”
So the next time you hear of the willow tree, remember it is the tree of lost joy. That need not be.
What to do:
✞For the believer, sin and joy
never run together. Sin and worldly fun
are cohorts, though; and we should know the difference
No comments:
Post a Comment