Well, it figures. The rain we could have used all summer seems to have shown up during a week where we’d appreciate some drier ground. But you just never know how God might use a moment.
This week’s scripture from Jeremiah (32:1-15) recounts God’s direction to buy a field in the midst of a siege that would end in deportation. While it may seem illogical to invest in land you’d never see again, for Jeremiah and the soon-to-be exiles, it was a sign of hope and promise: “The Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.â€
The weather, the political situation, the state of our own health, and many other things seem and often are out of our control. Yet God is not above or beyond using challenging moments to be about God’s work. The question is, do we have ears to hear that call through our discouragements or disappointments? As Jesus makes clear in the story of poor Lazarus at the gate (Luke 16:19-31), there is no time like the present to care for God’s people. Whether that means sharing with those in need, casting a vision of hope, or creating a space for community togetherness, may God give us the courage to make a way.
I look forward to this weekend and am holding our church and towns in prayer as the big day approaches.
Pastor Jen