Psalm 126:6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Israel has spent much time weeping as they sow the seeds of a new country. Some of those sacrifices have come in the form of working long days in the hot sun; others have come in the form of the ultimate sacrifice of losing a loved one or one’s own life. Today Israel is a beautiful country with a thriving economy. However, they have not achieved the ultimate goal of being a safe place for the people in their own land. Israel still suffers from terror, war, and the loss of life. Sometimes individuals or nations have to make difficult decisions for the sake of future generations. But remember, the freedom and prosperity that we enjoy today came from the blood, tears, and lives of those who came before us. We owe it to them to do what they did for us, for our own children. Though we may weep as we plant, there will be joy in the future. There is a Jewish story speaks about a man planting a carob tree. He was asked, “Don’t you know that a carob tree takes 70 years to bear fruit? You won’t see the fruit in your lifetime!” The man answered, “My fathers planted before me, and today I enjoy their fruit. I plant for my children.” What seeds will you sow today for your children to enjoy?
