Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-6 (NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:
Being tired makes me grumpy; not seeing the sun for several weeks only makes my mood worse. I didn’t realize how lucky I had it, coming from a place with 300 days of sunshine a year. A hectic schedule and bleak sunless days have been my “wilderness” as of late. When the sun shone and the temperature rose just recently, I suddenly realized that I had been irritable for weeks.
One dark winter night I went to a friend’s room to borrow something. We got to talking about how the winter seemed endless and we felt terrible. Soon after the mention of brownies and moms, we were all three on the floor crying and laughing in an inexplicable moment of pain, joy and togetherness.
There was no precise reason for the emotion; it was just everything. But in that moment I felt God’s unfailing kindness. I felt solidarity and that I was not alone. I am amazed by how incredibly compassionate is our God to bring us together for that moment.
God has said in the past, “I will build you up again,” and remains faithful. Despite our tribulations and disobedience, just like Israel, God loves us with an everlasting love.
I have continued to feel like I am being rebuilt. Recently I have felt the urge to “go out to dance with the joyful,” and I believe I am not alone in that joyful, silly feeling. God is showing us kindness in the sunshine, tulips and a friend’s warm greeting. So let’s get our tambourines out!
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-6 (NRSV)
At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, 3the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. 4Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. 5Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit. 6For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim: “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.”