Psalms 30:11-12 NKJV
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”
INSIGHT
-This is a psalm of David that he exposed as a testimony of his own life. There were many tearful nights, followed by joyful mornings perhaps with the recognition that the mercies of God to His people are new every morning. Night and morning are contrasted, as are weeping and joy, and the latter contrast is more striking, if it be observed that ‘joy’ is literally ‘a joyful shout,’ raised by the voice that had been breaking into audible weeping. God is turning mourning into dancing during this season. Let us not tire to seek Him, trust in Him and rejoice in Him always for He is indeed doing a new thing characterized by exultation and jubilation.
PRAYER
Great is Your love for us dear Lord Jesus that we are not yet consumed, for Your compassions never fail, they are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. We give thanks to You Lord, for You are good, Your love endures forever. We give thanks to You God of gods, Your love endures forever. We give thanks to the Lord of lords, Your love endures forever. We exult You Lord for You alone does great wonders, Your love endures forever, by Your understanding made the heavens, Your love endures forever, You spread out the earth upon the waters, Your love endures forever, the sun to govern the day, Your love endures forever, the moon and stars to govern the night, Your love endures forever. We give thanks to You our God Almighty, Your love endures forever. We adore You for what You have done and what You are doing upon us, Your love endures forever. Thank You for are turning our mourning into dancing, may You do that which only You can do dear Jesus. May You do a new thing in our lives, families, churches, nation and the nations of the world. May You guide us and shield us throughout the week, for Your love endures forever. All wisdom, honor, power and grace belongs to You Lord now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalms 136:1–6, 8–9
Jeremiah 31:13-16 NIV
“Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy.”
INSIGHT
-Ramah was one of the towns through which the Israelites passed on their way to exile in Babylonia. Jeremiah was found in chains among the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were carried into exile to Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 40:1). There are, of course, additional historical parallels in this passage. When the wicked king Herod orders the slaughter of innocent children to protect his rule, we naturally think of the Egyptian Pharaoh who ordered the slaughter of Hebrew children. Moses as a child escaped the slaughter and went on to deliver his people from captivity and exile. In the same way, Jesus escapes the slaughter of the innocents ironically, by going into exile in Egypt.
Jesus becomes our Messiah as He dies for the sins of the world, and delivers us from every form of captivity. The Lord therefore fulfills Jeremiah’s prophecy regarding the exiles, and He turn their mourning into gladness, sorrow into comfort and joy. Some among us are battling diseases like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, HIV and AIDS, cerebral palsy, and other chronic illness. Jesus has the power to heal and deliver us from every captivity in our bodies, every psychological illness, emotional distress and anxiety for He is our God and nothing is difficult for Him. We pray for economic and political stability in our nation, nation of Israel and all the war torn countries that the Lord may intervene and deliver help.
PRAYER
Abba Father our Maker and our Father, we come to You with humility in our hearts. Thanking You for dying on the cross for our sins and for all that You have done unto us. We humbly beseech You to forgive us all our sins and wash us with Your precious blood. May You deliver us and our loved ones from every physical captivity, economic turmoil, financial hardship, political instability, and spiritual slackness. May You comfort all those who have lost their loved ones dear Jesus. May You bless the nation of Israel and grant them peace. May You grant them the gift of salvation together with all their counterparts and rival nations Abba Father. May You bless us and bless our work and reward us by Your mercy and grace. May You enable a blessing of children to all those who are waiting on You and the wisdom to bringing them up in Your ways. May You deliver us from all pain, disappointment, suffering anxiety and tribulations dear Lord Jesus. We pray this believing and trusting in Jesus Mighty name. Amen
Further reading: 2 Chronicles 15:7, 1 John 2:1-2
Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
INSIGHT
– Jesus came to set us free, to give us the good news of Salvation and eternal life, life forever more. He came to comfort us in our mourning and be our comforter through the Holy Spirit. It was through His coming that the Holy Spirit our Helper was given to us once Jesus was taken into heaven. The Holy Spirit releases Joy, praise instead of despair even during tough times. He makes us and our lives so beautiful no matter the past we have been through or the tests we go through in this world. The Holy Spirit is able to turn all situations around for our good. This is why we have endless hope, victory, love and joy in Christ. Let us thus receive Christ as our Lord and Savior and desire to be deeply filled by the Holy Spirit that we may experience His wonders and signs. That our mourning may be turned into dancing. That every tough situation, trials and test may be turned to testimonies all for the glory of God. That we may experience divine change and transformation from the ashes and shame we had been through in our lives to beauty and the glory of God all over us covering us and making us beautiful. That what seemed impossible is made totally possible all for His glory. Truly when we look up-to all the mountains, the hills, the heavens and the earth, we realize that our help and salvation only comes from the Lord, the Maker of heavens and the earth.
PRAYER
Almighty Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne of mercy and grace to obtain grace in our times of need. We come to adore You and love You for You are faithful and great. You are worthy of all our praise and honor. All the Glory is Yours in heaven and the earth, You are worthy to be praised. Oh Lord, we seek more of You, more of Your Holy Spirit that in all the pain and suffering we have been through, that You shall crown us with a crown of beauty and pour Your oil of joy upon us even in our mourning and grieving. Father may You turn around all trials, tribulations and tests to become testimony and shouts of praise for You are able to do what no man can do. We have praise on lips for all times and we declare in the Mighty name of Jesus that we shall not despair. May Your righteousness be upon us that we may be called the planting of the Lord and oaks of righteousness, that we may always display Your splendor and glory. Oh Lord We trust in You and all our hope is in You. You are a faithful Father to us and none can be compared to You. Thank You oh Lord for this far and for always being there for us. Thank you for the gift of salvation, may many recieve this gift as well. We thank You Lord for we know You have heard us and believe You shall do according to Your great will. We pray this in Jesus Mighty name, Amen.
Further reading: Psalms 121:1-8
Acts 3:1-10 NIV
“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
INSIGHT
-Peter and John were commissioned by Jesus and recognized by the early church as apostles. As they went to the temple at the hour of prayer that followed the afternoon sacrifice, they met a man outside the temple gate begging. As the man asked for money, the apostles offered a much better solution. They recognized the sacrificial system that was perfect, that Jesus offered Himself on the cross for our healing, deliverance and freedom from all bondage. At the proclamation of the name of Jesus, the lame man walked, and his mourning was turned into dancing. Jesus is calling all those who are troubled, sick, depressed, oppressed, and everyone who is waiting on God for a solution, and He will surely respond to all our needs.
PRAYER
Jesus You are our Lord and Savior, and none can compare to You. At Your name Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus You are Lord to the glory of God the Father. Jesus, You have called us saying, come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Jesus, may You grant us rest in everything and every area of our lives. May You heal us and all those who are sick physically, emotionally, psychologically and in every way. We worship You and give You glory and praise. In Jesus mighty name we pray believing and trusting. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 11:28-30
John 16:20-22 NIV
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
INSIGHT
-Jesus illustrates through imagery that in the pains and bliss of motherhood, finds an analogy for the pains and bliss of the disciple’s persecution, inasmuch as, in both cases, pain leads directly to blessedness in which it is forgotten. He crowns His great promises by explaining to us what the deepest foundation of our truest gladness declaring, ‘I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy,’ What a promise that Jesus has declared the plan to take away all our momentary sadness and pain turn it into a swift and continual joy that has no end. Jesus calls us to trust and believe in Him and we will drink from His fountain of joy forevermore and dwell with Him eternally.
SUMMARY
God loves us so much and for this reason He sent His beloved Son Jesus Christ into the world that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9), as He turns all our mourning into dancing. King David in Psalms 30:11-12 released his emotions openly to God of his sorrows and frustrations. He contrasts sackcloth and clothes of gladness, mourning and weeping. He is a model of praising and dancing to the Lord despite his troubles. When the Ark of the Lord was being brought into the city of David, he danced and leaped before the Lord, and Michal his wife despised him in her heart (2 Samuel 6:12-16). God is doing a new thing during this season; we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and keen to trust in Him regardless of our shortcomings. God promised the Israelites through the prophecy of Jeremiah that even though they are in chain and suffer in the hands of king Nebuchadnezzar, He will turn their mourning into dancing, sorrow into comfort. Even as Rachel wept for her children at Ramah and refused to be comforted, the Lord would turn her mourning into gladness and deliver them from the land of their enemies (Jeremiah 31:13-16). Some among us are living in torment and pain having lost a loved one, lost their property out of demolitions, floods, auctioneers, lost a job or golden opportunity, etc. This caused pain and suffering in the heart due general grief or sometimes due to unforgiveness. The Lord is calling us to submit to Him and rest in Him and He will give us rest for our souls. He is also beseeching us to cast our burdens and cares to Him for He cares for us. Further, to forgive all those who have caused us pain and sorrow for He is turning our mourning into dancing. Jesus is our Healer and heals all our diseases. In the story of the man who was born lame and was healed outside the temple gate that was called Beautiful, Jesus used His disciples John and Peter to perform this transformation miracle and the beggar was healed and his life was made beautiful. It was so evident that his mourning was turned into exultation as he jumped and danced all the way (Acts 3:1-10). Jesus makes our lives beautiful when we depend and pray to Him, even when we might have suffered for a long time. Jesus came for this purpose, to proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3). Jesus endured a few hours pain during his persecution and crucifixion, and He has given us eternal life by His grace and mercy, and He is the centre of the deepest Joy and gladness forever and ever. Amen
PRAYER
Jesus we love You and exult Your holy name. You are our God who makes our lives beautiful. You turn our mourning into dancing. You turn every tear into joy. You turn every test into a testimony. There is no other God but You. Lord You have promised to make our lives beautiful forevermore, even as the grass withers and the flowers fall, Your word will never fail. You make everything beautiful at Your time, may You turn every delay into delightful pleasures, stagnation into celebration. May You fight all our battles and grant us victory. May You do a new thing in our lives, families, churches, children, ministry, marriages, businesses, jobs, society, nation and all the nations of the world. May we always testify of Your goodness. Oh God of all creation, bless this our land and nation, may justice be our shield and defender, may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, may plenty be found within our borders. May You bless us and keep us. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You show Your countenance unto us and give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: Ecclesiastes 3:11, Isaiah 43:18-19