Today’s Devotion
Topic: We Are Returning to Zion!
Text: Psalm 137: 1- 4
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? Amen
“Sing the Lord’s song in a strange land”? That’s just impossible! Why? Because we find ourselves in Babylon; a place of detestable deeds. The demand for a song is actually a mockery to our God, as though to say: “If He were strong as you say in your songs, why didn’t He save you?”
But we know it is our disobedience to His word that has brought us here. He cautioned us several times through His holy prophets but we did not heed (Jer 29: 1- 14). Now it feels like God has deserted us; what more can we do except to sit here, hang the harps that used to play melodious tunes to His name, and weep. “There’s no hope!”
This was the reality the people of Zion faced. They had ended up in exile, in the pagan land of Babylon. There they wept each time they remembered Zion and were being tormented. They would rather keep their sanity and reverence for God and refuse to satisfy the mockery of these heathens by singing the Lord’s song in a land that had no reverence for Him.
You see, perhaps some other nationals that were exiled to Babylon settled for this humiliation, but not these Zionites – NO! They yearned to be in Zion. They were desperate to return to the mountain of God where His love, peace and presence overwhelmed them.
That, beloved, should be the attitude of each of us who finds himself alienated from our God and exiled by sin to a “strange land”. Yes, we may have plunged ourselves into that place of ruin and misery, but that never means that the road that leads back to ZION is closed.
Will God ever abandon His people? Of course not – He never did, nor ever will! He has enough grace to pardon every disobedience and change us from deep within. He says in Amos 9:14: “I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.”
So why don’t you rise up, Child of God, and head back to Zion? Do you not see that merely weeping and thinking about Zion brings no solution at all? Like the prodigal son who also travelled to a distant land, arise and make your way to your Father. Tell Him how sorry you are and ask that He receives you back into His fold. (Luke 15: 11- 32)
You can’t be in Babylon any longer. You can’t remain in darkness and choose to hide from God. Babylon is not your dwelling. Your home is in Zion, the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, with the countless thousands of angels in joyful gathering; and with Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant between God and people, and with the sprinkled blood, which speaks for forgiveness. (Heb 12: 22)
Begin to pray now. Let go of the guilt and sin that is keeping you from Zion. Pray against this uncontrollable craving for sin that you see manifesting in you. Ask for forgiveness and allow Jesus back into every helpless situation you find yourself. Also ask for His strength into every area you find weakness.
For “upon mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions” (Obadiah 1: 17). The time for your deliverance is now! See you at church.
