We Are Free in Christ to Praise God, Pray, and Bear Fruit
- Jack Selcher
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
I could not see anything for three days. A racquetball hit my left eye in 1972 and caused internal bleeding and temporary blindness. The doctor put patches over both my eyes for three days.
It was a brief journey into the world of the blind. Those freed from such captivity are never the same. Psalm 126 models three purposes of those whom God rescues from the kingdom of darkness.
God sets us free to praise Him (Psalm 126:1-3). You will not hear much of that on the lips of those still living in darkness. Cyrus’ decree sent the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple.
It was not a dream (Psalm 126:1) or the result of Israel’s efforts. The return from Babylon to Jerusalem was so striking that even the unbelieving nations recognized it as God’s work (Psalm 126:2).
The captives praised God with grateful hearts, with extravagant gestures and voice. They had miraculously returned to their homeland.
The Lord was responsible. The only kind of praise fitting was a “Yippee!” from grateful hearts.
God has rescued us from captivity to the penalty and power of sin. Yet, we frequently do not act like it.
We have forgotten the dank, dark dungeon of our captivity. We often live like those still in prison with solemn, long faces, our chins on the pavement.
The solution is remembering our deliverance from the slums of sin we once frequented. What is appropriate is not just a “Praise the Lord” on our lips, but a “Yippee!” from the heart.
God sets us free to pray (Psalm 126:4). Most Jews remained in Babylon. The prayers addressed the problems preventing full restoration.
Although all the Jews could have returned, they did not. Some were fearful. Some were lazy.
Many enjoyed their relative ease and comfort. After all, those returning were going to the land their sworn enemies possessed.
Only prayer could overcome these problems. Similarly, prayer demonstrates dependence on God to overcome opposition against the advance of His kingdom.
God sets us free to bear fruit (126:5-6). God brings the increase, but not without sowing. Sowing in tears (Psalm 126:5) describes the pain and anxiety of the farmer who sows grain he could have used to feed his children.
He sows in faith, believing God will bless and multiply his efforts. Eventually, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
We need patience to bear fruit. The returnees were treated unkindly and harshly (Nehemiah 4). Much suffering remained before God restored the country, and the people rebuilt Jerusalem.
God promises to bless the efforts of those who persistently work for Him. Whatever work God has called us to do requires patience and persistence to complete. Expect irritations and opposition while trusting God to produce a harvest thirty to one hundred times what we sow (Matthew 13:8). What is your takeaway?
See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
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