We are living in wilderness times. This pandemic has brought fear, isolation, and uncertainty into our daily routines. I have been struggling to find hope and motivation in these challenging times. It is even harder to remember to give myself grace.
“At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:1-3)
In the book of Jeremiah, the people of Israel are living in exile. Stripped of their everyday routines, they feel alone and forgotten. But, in trying times, they still find “grace in the wilderness.”
They know God will keep God’s promises. There will come a day when “again you shall take your tambourines and go forth in the dance of merrymakers.” (Jeremiah 31:4) Exile is not forever.
This message is excerpted from “Grace in the Wilderness” by SommerAnn McCollough in the May 2020 Cafe online magazine. Today is the First Sunday in Lent.
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