An Old Testament Mood


Jeremiah 4: 9-10, 19-28

These trying years have nudged me into an Old Testament kind of mood, more persuaded by the hard headed necessity of judgment and repentance than with “taking my personal spiritual temperature,” more subject to a ferocious and demanding Jeremiah than a comforting and consoling John, attuned more to prophetic demands than nice piety.  It’s a wake-up call, and like most wake up calls, they annoy you.  We’d rather keep sleeping. 

Jeremiah portrays Jerusalem screaming in anguish.   God’s own foolish people have brought on themselves this anguish, this desolation.  “For my people are foolish, they do not know me; they are stupid children, they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but do not know how to do good.”  Babylon is about to crush them.  “Disaster overtakes disaster.”  The people created their own damnation, which is how hell happens.  Jerusalem’s leaders tried to be opportunistic rather than obedient, foolishly self-absorbed for power rather than faithful and kind, righteous and just, merciful. 

In whose image wish we the world to be?  Jerusalem’s?  Babylon’s?  Our own?  Or Christ’s?  Perhaps Wall Street and Main Street might begin to realize that ugly hatred, bigotry, violent extremism, gun stroking weaklings, chauvinism, delusional lies, religious nationalism, willful ignorance, really aren’t profitable, practical.  If we won’t act out of decency, how about from self-interest? 

Let’s cast off the notion of the Second Coming as Jesus parachuting down to rescue the world at the end time.  It’s not as if Jesus has been absent.   The Living Word is ever-present.  We are the body of Christ in this world.   When the Spirit of Christ inspires the entire world to become Christ-like, fulfilling heaven on earth, then will we not be able to say that the hour of Jesus has become manifest?  That Jesus has returned for us all? 

Pastor Emeritus Robert John Andrews

Comments

  1. Beth ChristianMarch 4, 2021 at 6:50 AM

    Wow! Thought-provoking, especially especially the last paragraph. And inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 13, 2021 at 8:17 AM

    Thanks Bob. I agree that God wants us to focus on him here and now
    This will help us to be ready at all times for the second coming which even Jesus doesn't know the timing of...

    ReplyDelete

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