During these last weeks, I have wanted to write about HOPE for the ‘Sunday Message’. HOPE has been expressed by many, and I saw a connecting link between Jeremiah chapter 29 and what we have experienced over the past year, and there is a relevant lesson, while remembering that the text is specific to Israel.
Jeremiah had been prophesying and preaching; Now, he writes a letter and sends it to those who had been taken into exile to Babylon, to the captives, to the cream of society, to the artisans, artisans, priests and prophets, even the king. .
In Jeremiah 29 we have the text of the letter, we are even told who the postman is. If God uses you as a postman to deliver a vital message, that is important.
What is Jeremiah going to say? Could there be a lesson for us as we prepare to come out of ‘a year of confinement’?
Some thought that the exile would end soon, but Jeremías says: “NO”, that it will last 70 years. How are these people going to live, act, react and respond?
It is a time of painful incarcerated isolation – and Jeremiah says – verse 5 – Build – Establish – Plant – Eat the produce – Marry – Increase in number.
“Bloom where you are planted” – I am so glad I heard that word many years ago.
In Babylon, they were separated from the source that nourished and strengthened them.
Verse 7: Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have taken you. Pray to the Lord for it; if you prosper, you will also prosper. Don’t listen to those false prophets who say that everything will end soon, you will be there for 70 years, so calm down and prosper. Don’t complain or complain or complain – PROSPERO!
Verse 10 – I will come and bring you back. I promise to do that, I will keep My Word. – I keep my promises.
Verse 11 – I have plans for you, to prosper, not to harm you.
God appears before His Chosen People – HOPE. Jeremiah becomes very tender. He realizes what God’s people are experiencing, and because he is in tune with God, he can write with grace. Jeremiah listens to God and writes.
Here is the God of grace extending His hand to His people with a word to encourage them to turn to Him, to invoke Him, to seek God with all their hearts. When you do that, you will find me.
Seek God: If you seek God, you will find God!
Verse 14 – I will be found – I will bring – I will gather – back to a specific place.
God always gives HOPE to His People. One thing these people missed was temple worship, haven’t we found that too? Get together to sing, pray, praise and worship.
But what is HOPE?
Isaiah 40, verse 31 is strong – Hope means expectation – trust – lean on, trust or take refuge – wait in silence.
These people were in a difficult and uncomfortable situation, like many today, there is increasing stress, with various repercussions.
People need HOPE, but the HOPE that God gives is more than waiting for things to get better and better, and this is what I want to underline and emphasize.
We’ve missed a lot this year: worship and fellowship.
Bloom where you have been planted.
Look for that SHALOM – Peace with God – Peace with yourself – Peace with others.
SHALOM is such a complete word, wellness, in that sense, it is similar to HOPE.
Use these next few weeks as the blockage slowly relaxes, flourish where God has planted it. Use your life, you can have influence.
Thanks to the people. Some workers have been very brave, in the shops, at the supermarket checkout, in the garage, the caretakers, many have been on the front line, as well as doctors, nurses, cleaning and catering staff in the NHS.
In Old Testament days, the main experience of the Holy Spirit and worship was in the Temple, and the Temple was gone. The town was a thousand miles east of Jerusalem. Today we have the Holy Spirit – and the presence of the risen and living Jesus – as well as the promises of our faithful Father – a perfect and pleasing plan as we follow His pleasing and perfect good will. Novels 12.
Don’t waste these next days and weeks.
In Christ Jesus, we are on the front line and can be ‘stressed out’.
Read Luke 10, verses 38 to 42 – The story of two sisters – we too can get upset and distracted by so many things. ‘Distracted’ means – being pulled in different directions at the same time – and ‘worrying’ here means fighting – having the drowned joy of your life.
We can feel some of this after a long year of pandemic, a year since I preached on a Sunday, a year since we put in the bread and wine.
Jesus enters the house of Mary and Martha. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him. What a beautiful photo. She was quiet and submissive and open to hearing what Jesus had to say. Martha was so busy doing things, rushing to prepare a meal that Jesus was not particularly interested in.
We are told that she was distracted (verse 40). He was distracted from paying full attention to Jesus, and Jesus gave him a slight reprimand. She thought she had so many things to do for Jesus, and Jesus wasn’t really interested.
How often could that apply to us?
Marta feels a little resentful towards her sister María. Martha was doing too much, quite a bit, and thinks that Jesus should be a little more grateful.
We too may think that way, but we do not direct our resentment at Jesus, but at other members of the body of Christ, or perhaps even members of our family.
Was it resentment that Jesus seemed to be paying more attention to Mary than to the hurried and boisterous Martha, in all her hustle and bustle? What a warning for us when we can show up, and maybe even enjoy, being occupied by Jesus.
Jesus has to say – You are so worried and upset about so many things – Come Martha – calm down – slow down – sit down. Defend Maria and diagnose Marta. Mary listens to the Word of God.
Jesus may not be very interested in some of the products we prepare for Him, whatever form they take, but He appreciated the peace and quiet, and someone to talk to. We have to balance the two scenes by always remembering that serving others comes second, a matter of priorities, people before things.
Jesus wants us to demonstrate our love for God by drawing close to Him – in praise and worship and listening and listening – to spend time in prayer – and that kind of activity can rarely be rushed. He wants us to sit quietly and assimilate all that he has to share with us, tell us, and reveal to us. That cannot be rushed.
Jesus loved Martha and Jesus loved Mary – Jesus loved both sisters – John 11.
Jesus wants us to take the time to listen to him, receive from him and please him; then, we will be ready and equipped to serve the neighbors in need that we find.
Bloom where you are planted.
Make the most of these next 70 years in Babylon.
Make the most of these next few days and weeks, where we live and serve.
The exiles listened to Jeremiah, and we listened to Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Let the Holy Spirit give you more HOPE, not just for this life, but for eternity.
Let the Holy Spirit remove disappointment, frustration, and maybe even anger.
Let Him refresh you, for the race ahead, for the next part of the journey.
