Today's Passage - Psalm 42:5

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Psalm 42:5   Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.     Not only does God help us, he actually helps us with smile on his face, because he is more than happy to bring joy back to our life again! When Abraham grew old but did not have his own son, it was a shameful thing in the society of his time. God, however, told him that He will give Abraham a son through Sarah. Abraham bowed on the ground, but didn't really believe what God said, so he told God: "May Ishmael stand before you." God said it's not Ishmael, but a son through Sarah, and his name will be Isaac, which means laughter. In other word, God was telling Abraham: "I will affirm the covenant I made with you. I will affirm the covenant with laughter!" Later on, God actually gave Abraham a son, and he was named Isaac. The name given by God was so precious - God made him laugh, and people who heard also laughed with him. Try to imagine that whenever Sarah calls the name of Isaac, she was actually saying "my laugher, my laughter!"   Psalm 126 talks about the outcry of the Israelites when they were in captive at Babylon, and Psalm 137 says that whenever they thought about the time in Zion they would sweep, all because they could only sing the song of Jehovah in gentile land. In our life, we also often fall into the state of captivity. Sometime we feel like we are captured by disease, circumstance in life, or the wound and curse we suffered from the past. Sometime we have dream and wish deep down inside: "Lord, please bring down revival! Please manifest your presence!" It's like how the Israelites cried out to God when they were in captivity in Babylon. Imagine if you were awaken from your dream and discover that your dream was true. Wouldn't that be wonderful! Psalm 126 says that when those in captivity were returned, we become like dreamers. Actually, we weren't dreaming, for God actually did great things for us! Those who sow in rears will reap in joy, hallelujah! Brothers and sisters, our God really did great things for us, so we must rejoice, because our God will help us with smile on His face! Let us continue to thirst for Him, wait upon Him and follow Him!   Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord, I thank you because not only did you help us, but you always helped with smile on your face! Let us look upon Him daily, be our strength and help, and let us keep on being thirsty for you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!