In Tough, Chaotic, Tumultuous Times
In ancient Israel, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon surrounded Jerusalem with his troops. Within the walls, King Zedekiah, confined the prophet, Jeremiah. Still, Jeremiah listened to the voice of God that spoke to his heart. God insisted that Jeremiah purchase a field in the land of Benjamin. He was instructed by God to pay in silver and to have the deeds properly witnessed. The deeds were then placed in an “earthen jar, in order that they may last for a long time.” The God of Israel wanted all to know that “Fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.”
Jeremiah knew and proclaimed that the times would grow darker before they improved. Jerusalem would be defeated, the temple mount destroyed, and the leadership taken in chains into exile in Babylon.
When times are challenging we, too, must look beyond the current state of affairs. We, too, must go about the tasks of everyday living, knowing that God is with us. Times come and go, the sands shift, the tides ebb and flow. Yet, as we conclude in the Lord’s Prayer, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
