Back in November 2012, Oz Lotto jackpotted to $100 million. Google is good. I’m not sure whether someone won the cash that weekend, but if they did, it’s a fair guess that they would have been walking around in some sort of dream and covered in pinch marks. It’d be easy enough to think it wasn’t really happening – if it had.
The people of Israel had won the lottery before. Multiple times. Psalm 126 is a reflection on one of those times. After a long run of ‘bad luck’ inflicted by their disobedience and unfaithfulness, God comes to their rescue with a sublime and complete restoration. And, like a winner of $100 million, it was as if they were in a dream.
Everything was as it should be: love and laughter, fully restored fortunes and kudos from nations far and wide. Not only to them, but also to the God who did all the heavy lifting in the first place. They were glad, and with good reason.
The thing about so many lottery winners is that the unexpected instant wealth is rarely coupled with the wisdom to steward the winnings. Sad but reasonable when they did none of the work and exercised no financial wisdom to acquire it in the first place. They often squander it in an inconceivably short time, forgetting the undeserved gift they inherited.
You know where this is heading. The Israelites were no different. God had been extravagant with them; rich in mercy and abounding in love. God had chosen them, redeemed them, called them by name and rescued them. Yet, time and again, within a generation or less, they squandered that mercy and abandoned that love.
I was reading this morning: ‘When faith becomes sight…there is something within each of us that says: “God may have gotten me this far, but it is up to me to maintain things”. And with no conscious decision on our part, we shift strategies. We take control.’
Godly blessing unhinged from Godly wisdom, stewardship and relationship is usually a recipe for the squandering of extravagant blessing. Or attributing the success to ourselves in a way that rapidly heads in a southwards direction.
In 126, they’re back where they started and saying ‘do it again, God, do it again’. Importantly, they recall the repentant hearts with which they waited on God previously. Sowing in tears, reaping in joy.
The beautifully consistent quality of God’s character is that His anger lasts a moment, but His favour a lifetime. Once the winnings are frittered away, it’s all gone, but God – undeservedly in Jesus – has reached out to us with a redemptive love that has us again and again wondering how this could ever have happened to us.
Unmerited favour. Amazing grace.
Once again today, you can boldly approach the throne of God. Not because you’ve earned it, but because He did. Not because you’ve been smart or clever or wise or holy or obedient, but because Jesus’ righteousness bids you come. Once again.