Texts: Psalm 126, Habakkuk 3:13-19, Matthew 21:28-32

^{Psalm 1261}When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

³The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.

⁵May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

⁶Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Everything is the opposite of what we expect. When it looked like there were no other options, no way out, no hope for a future, "we were restored and became like those who dream." Was it a simple indication that their dreams and restoration were linked to God restoring their wealth? Or was it an indication that when God's presence itself was restored, the people began to once again dream? If we only perceive God to be close during times of plenty, where is God during times of want? Where is God during our darkness? The LORD has done great things, but the greatness of God's work in the world rarely seems connected to wealth. The treasure of salvation is not something we can purchase; the treasure of God's presence is not something we can achieve. Rather, we receive it as a gift. Our restoration has little to do with our own capacities or abilities to achieve it; it happens when we least expect it, like the reminders that we are not alone when our soul cries for help.

In the United States, wealth is so often viewed - even by churches - as a sign of God's divine favor. Now that the market has been in upheaval for nearly the past decade, with the exposure of individuals and companies taking advantage of other individuals or companies, our relationship to wealth has been exposed as being more important than our relationships to the Other. And still we desire the restoration of our literal fortunes. What if our fortunes lie in the health and well being of our neighbors? What if our treasure is God's Advent among us? What if the treasure is that we are God's treasure? As Psalm 18:19 states: "He redeemed me because he delights in me," causing us to sing with joy that the God of our salvation has come among us. This, certainly, is cause to sing, cause to dream, and cause us to shout with joy, for the Lord has done great things among us.