The Dream Vacation 

Upon reading Psalm 85, I remembered a past family vacation with the children back in the day.

The children were all fairly young when we decided to take our first trip to Florida. As a pastor, my vacation that year basically started after church on Sunday and went to Saturday. We decided that the easiest way to get to Florida and back and not use our whole vacation on the road was to fly. Thankfully at that time, the Branson airport used a carrier associated with Southwest Airlines and had a direct route from Orlando to Branson. Perfect. One flight, simple pricing, and only thirty minutes from our house. So we made all the preparations, bought all the tickets we would need to the various parks, and were excited to take our children.

The day before the big trip – their first to Florida – we asked each of them to pack a suitcase (which mom double-checked) for somewhere warm. They asked where we were going; however, we did not tell them yet.

The next morning – travel day – it was pouring down rain. We had a very early plane ride ahead of us. In the predawn darkness, we packed the Astro van and loaded in to head down to the Branson airport – a very short drive from our house.

As we pulled away from the house, mom passed out one envelope for each child. In the envelope: an airline ticket and vacation cash (spending money provided through a loving church member who knew the plans).

As I drove, I could initially see in the mirror under the hue of dome lights and then hear very loudly their excitement as the older children read to the young ones where we were headed. The van atmosphere was ecstatic. In fact, we created a song in the pouring down rain, while headed to the airport, and sang all the way to the airport. In just two short hours, we would all be in Florida – the first time for each of them.

Why wait to tell them in the van? Because of the tension and, later, the spiraling effects of the tension on their little souls between hearing about a dream trip and actually experiencing the trip. In years past, we had realized they were very excitable, which sometimes really stretched their immature sanctification. Thus, we had determined it was best to not tell them where we were going until it was time.

Friends, this tension we experience as followers of Jesus Christ as well. We read of all the promises in the Bible and long for the perfect day they reflect, yet we live in today. We still live with suffering, sin, and struggle. But we have promises and opportunities in hand – similar to the tickets and cash from our dream vacation – yet we wait. Between here and there, tension of anticipation awaiting fulfillment.

Psalm 85, penned by the Sons of Korah, reflects this tension with a heartfelt cry for revival and renewal in God’s relationship with His people. It blends gratitude for past mercies with a plea for present restoration while seeking to trust in future promises.

God’s Past Mercy: A Foundation for Hope (Psalm 85:1-3)

The psalm begins with gratitude: “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah. You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger” (Psalm 85:1-3). These verses recall God’s restoration of Israel from exile (Ezra 3:12-13), forgiving their sins and turning from His anger, which reflect God’s merciful character (Exodus 34:6-7). Despite their repeated sins (as Jeremiah so aptly describes in Jeremiah 11 and 44), Israel’s return was like a family reconciled after years apart, embraced by a loving Father. God forgave them, covering their iniquity. In a similar way, for us, this points to Christ’s sacrifice, where God’s wrath was satisfied, and our sins were also forgiven. This past mercy grounds our hope and assures us of God’s covenant faithfulness.

A Prayer for Present Revival (Psalm 85:4-7)

Yet, the psalmist longs for more: “Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation” (Psalm 85:4-7). Despite past restoration, the people crave a fresh encounter with God’s presence, a revival to renew their joy. They want a fully restored land. Things were not as they had been promised. All was not back to normal.

Tension.

Back to why we did not tell our children about the dream vacation. We understood by experience as younger parents the tension of as-yet unfulfilled expectation and the anticipation of overwhelmed children – promises made, not yet fulfilled.

Similarly, Israel, back in the land, felt this tension, restored yet not fully experiencing God’s promises. Tension lingered (Ezra 3:12). They prayed for revival, not as an event, but as a personal awakening to rejoice in God.

Fellow follower of Christ, today we know this tension as well. Under the tension of the as-yet unfulfilled promises, expectations, and incredible anticipation, we can become overwhelmed spiritually. The psalmist’s cry, “Revive us again,” invites us to pray for spiritual renewal, to experience again the significance of God’s forgiveness and restoration.

God’s Faithful Promises: A Future of Peace (Psalm 85:8-13)

The psalm shifts to assurance: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn again to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land” (Psalm 85:8-9). God promises peace and salvation to those who revere Him. Verses 10-13 declare: “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven” (Psalm 85:10-11). God’s attributes unite, fulfilled for us ultimately in Christ’s redemptive work.

This promise is like having the ticket and cash to enjoy in hand or like a farmer awaiting a harvest, trusting barren fields will bloom. For Israel, it meant God’s glory would dwell in their land. For us, it points to Christ’s return, when righteousness and peace will reign. Yet through the Holy Spirit, we taste these promises now, as we strive to walk daily in God’s truth.

Implications for Our Lives Today

Psalm 85 offers very practical and meaningful application for each of us.

First, God is not finished. His work in our lives, families, and churches continues, with greater things ahead.

Second, we have experienced forgiveness, the appeasement of God’s wrath through Christ, and His promises (Romans 5:1). As we await the dream day God promises, we already enjoy the forgiveness of the Lord.

Third, God’s work is ongoing. The psalmist’s prayer for revival challenges us to seek His grace daily. God is active in each of our lives today! “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.”

We helped our children by lessening the time of waiting for our children. On that rainy morning, the children’s excitement grew as they neared the airport, but the wait, though short, was intense and fun. So too, we may feel tension when God’s promises seem delayed. Yet, God is in the driver’s seat of our lives, knows how soon we get to the airport, and seeks to provide for us now in the waiting.

For us, are we depending on His Word and Spirit for revival, or on our own efforts? Does your walk with Christ ever feel merely “okay”? Are you a bit overwhelmed in the waiting? Do you long for a renewed sense of God’s presence? Like a weary soul finding a clear spring, God’s grace revives us. The cry, “Revive us again,” urges us to trust His covenant faithfulness.

A Final Word

Psalm 85 calls us to recall God’s mercy, pray for revival, and trust His promises. Like our children anticipating a trip, we may feel tension, but God is faithful. Let us pray, “Revive us again!” as we seek His grace to renew us, resting in His past work and hoping in His future glory.

As we pulled away from the house, mom passed out one envelope for each child. In the envelope: an airline ticket and vacation cash... The Dream Vacation Share on X

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For an interesting article on how Jesus could see more than what was apparent: What Did Jesus See and Not See?