Psalm 126- New King James Version
A Joyful Return to Zion – A Song of Ascents 

When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

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The Nov. 5 presidential election brings new light to this well-known psalm. It speaks of a time much like the one in which we have been living in the US. We have been a nation like Judah, taken captive by Babylon, a government that made the lives of the Jews difficult. Yet a new ruler, Cyrus of Persia, would bless the Jewish people greatly by allowing them to return to their homeland and to their Jewish values. The lyrics of a song by the Messianic Jewish group, Lamb, capture the mood of the Jews longing for their beloved homeland. “By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept for Zion, by the moping willows in her midst, we sadly hung there our harps.” As Christians, many of us have felt that our nation, at its core, was being lost to us. Taken over by an imposed alternative history that left us bewildered as our country was being morphed into something that left us bereft of our Christian mooring.

These past years have been a time of great sorrow for many Christians. With the people of the U.S. voting in new leadership, this recent presidential election feels like the captivity we have lived under is now gone. We are like those who dream! The societal tides are remarkably changing because of the outcome of this election. “The Lord has done great things for them” is now a part of the legacy media’s reports. They are acknowledging the impact Christians have had in this last election and that it will be a catalyst for a cultural shift of our nation. And what is our response? “The Lord has done great things for us.” 

From parched hearts to a rushing stream of healing waters, we and our nation will again be a city set on a hill, with His ways being welcomed in our land once more. How many of us who prayed in tears during these past four years are now so full of joy to see the seed — the potential for rebirth in the Christian foundations of our nation? And from these seeds will come the fruit of our answered prayers — prayers that many would come to know Him as Savior and soon and coming King. Our answered prayers will be the impetus for true revival — that our nation would once again be salt on this Earth for the healing of the nations.

As the new administration is busy with rebuilding our governmental foundations and putting in place new leaders, so should we, the church, be diligent in making sure that our churches are equipped for the days in which we live. We have a window of opportunity to move out into the world outside of our churches to bring hope and answers to the arenas of our society — government, education, business, and more. Let us build in this time of peace. I Timothy 2:4 says, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life . . . God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” We have prayed long for good leaders and now we have the ability to make a Gospel difference in our world – through work, government, education and media worlds as well as through our churches. We must boldly share His good news and make disciples. These were some of the last words Jesus spoke to His followers. And now the baton is passed to us. There is a sound from heaven, from those who have gone before us, to take part in the healing of our land and to the bringing of many sons and daughters into His kingdom. And Father, may the United States receive Your healing as a nation and may blessings extend to the ends of the Earth because You have been so very gracious to us in this time.

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(Dawn Custalow is an IFA intercessor. Photo Credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash)