{"id":1357,"date":"2010-12-12T01:35:28","date_gmt":"2010-12-12T01:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html"},"modified":"2010-12-12T01:35:28","modified_gmt":"2010-12-12T01:35:28","slug":"advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html","title":{"rendered":"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy"},"content":{"rendered":"
Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n

Psalm 126:1-6<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\nRestore our fortunes, LORD,
\n     as streams renew the desert.
\nThose who plant in tears
\n     will harvest with shouts of joy.<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n

Psalm 126:4-5<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

\nWhere I live in the Texas Hill Country, hundreds of creeks meander
\nthrough the oak-covered hills, canyons, and ranches. A few of these
\ncreeks run year round, but most are seasonal. Many of the creeks are, in
\nfact, dry most of the time. But when torrential rain comes, as it often
\ndoes in this part of the world, then the creeks quickly fill with
\nrushing water, water that often overflows the creek banks.<\/p>\n

\tThe streams in the Hill Country are not unlike the wadis<\/em> in
\nthe desert of Israel, which remain dry except in the rainy seasons.
\nWhen the rain comes, these parched creeks are transformed into
\nlife-giving streams that “renew the desert” (126:4). This was exactly
\nthe sort of renewal that the people of God needed after they were
\nbrought back from exile in Babylon. Though they were once again in the
\nland of promise, their life was anything but perfect. They were
\n“planting in tears” (126:5). On a literal level, the people struggled to
\nget the hard ground to produce the food they needed to eat. But,
\nemotionally and spiritually, the people were also “planting in tears” as
\nthey sought to rebuild their shattered lives.<\/p>\n

\tSometimes we can feel as if we’re “planting in tears.” We work hard
\nto raise our children in the Lord, but they wander away from the life of
\nfaith. We labor faithfully in our jobs for many years, only to be laid
\noff in the latest downsizing. We save for a secure future, yet our
\nsavings shrink as the economy staggers. We try to honor God in our daily
\nlives, but our sin keeps dragging us down. I expect you have your own
\nversion of “planting in tears.”<\/p>\n

\tPsalm 126 offers the hope that God will renew us like streams in the
\ndesert. It proclaims with confidence that “Those who plant in tears
\nwill harvest with shouts of joy” (126:5). This harvest comes fully in
\nthe future when the reign of God is established on earth. Thus we look
\nforward to the day when we will reap the harvest of our lives with
\ncelebration. In the meanwhile, we get to enjoy a taste of the future
\neven as we wait for the banquet that is yet to come.<\/p>\n

\tOn the third Sunday of Advent, we add a new element into this solemn
\nseason of expectation and hope. Today we rejoice because we know that
\nour hope for a savior was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Moreover, we
\nknow that the tears of this age will one day become overflowing streams
\nof joy.<\/p>\n

\tQUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> When do you feel
\nas if you are “planting in tears”? What sustains you even when life is
\nhard? Do you think about the harvest of the future, when there will be
\nshouts of joy? When do you experience a bit of that joy in your life?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

\nPRAYER: <\/strong>O Lord, the words and images of Psalm 126
\ntouch our hearts. We too need you to restore our fortunes, like streams
\nin the desert. We need the living water of your Spirit to refresh our
\nparched souls.<\/p>\n

\tIt does seem, Lord, that our planting is often in tears. Our lives
\nare filled with challenges, discouragements, and frustrations. Sometimes
\nwe are slammed by tragedy. We keep on “planting,” but with plenty of
\nweeping. Thus we long for the day when you will reign completely, when
\nour planting in tears will return an abundant harvest. We look forward
\nto shouting with joy in your presence.<\/p>\n

\tThank you, gracious Lord, for allowing us to sample a bit of that
\nfuture joy even now. Thank you for the reassurance of your Word. Thank
\nyou most of all for our Savior, Jesus Christ, whose birth we prepare to
\ncelebrate in this season of Advent. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling<\/i> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy Psalm 126:1-6 Restore our fortunes, LORD,      as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears      will harvest with shouts of joy. Psalm 126:4-5 Where I live in the Texas Hill Country, hundreds of creeks meander through the oak-covered hills, canyons, and ranches. A few…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nAdvent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy Psalm 126:1-6 Restore our fortunes, LORD,      as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears      will harvest with shouts of joy. Psalm 126:4-5 Where I live in the Texas Hill Country, hundreds of creeks meander through the oak-covered hills, canyons, and ranches. A few…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-12-12T01:35:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-new-4.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy - Mark D. Roberts","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy - Mark D. Roberts","og_description":"Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy Psalm 126:1-6 Restore our fortunes, LORD,      as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears      will harvest with shouts of joy. Psalm 126:4-5 Where I live in the Texas Hill Country, hundreds of creeks meander through the oak-covered hills, canyons, and ranches. A few…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html","og_site_name":"Mark D. Roberts","article_published_time":"2010-12-12T01:35:28+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-new-4.jpg"}],"author":"Mark D. Roberts","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html","name":"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy - Mark D. Roberts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-new-4.jpg","datePublished":"2010-12-12T01:35:28+00:00","dateModified":"2010-12-12T01:35:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-new-4.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-new-4.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/advent-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert-and-shouts-of-joy.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Advent Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/","name":"Mark D. Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1357\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}