Healing Rays of Righteousness

Seated at a table in the restaurant reading the morning paper, a man punctuated his reading with deep groans of dismay and discouragement.  Each page of the current national and international news brought a more profound sigh from him. 

The young waitress became very concerned, and so, as she poured him another cup of coffee she asked, “Is everything alright, sir?  You seem to be terribly upset about something.”

The man replied, “You bet I am!  Haven’t you read the morning paper?  I’m sick to death of all the bad news!”  The young waitress timidly stated, “You’ve got to have hope.”  To which the man asked the classic question of pessimistic frustration, “Hope?  How can you have hope in a world like this?”

In the days of the prophet, Jeremiah, many residents of Jerusalem were expressing a similar hopelessness.  Jeremiah is often called the “weeping prophet” and for good reason.  If anyone had reason to cry, it was Jeremiah.  God had promised them so much and the people had such great possibilities as a nation.  But now, their city was surrounded by the treacherous Babylonian army.  The future for God’s people living in Judah appeared to be dark and hopeless.

Sadly, two weeks ago we witnessed a similar darkness in our nation’s capital on Epiphany, the day the Christian church celebrates the great revelation of Jesus as divine light and truth to the Magi and the world.  On this day of Epiphany 2021, Satan attempted to extinguish this magnificent light in our nation by uprooting and deceiving with his evil lies and conspiracy theories the Trumpian mob crowd that violently stormed the capital with destruction, injuries, and death.   

Some of us may be tempted to give up on our commitment to Christian faith and discipleship, to call it quits and throw in the towel.  But that is not what Jeremiah did.  Instead, he listened to and believed God’s word of hope to him and prepared to purchase a field at Anathoth, his birthplace.

Shortly thereafter, Jeremiah’s cousin, Hanamel, visits Jeremiah in jail and asks Jeremiah to buy the field he owns in the village of Anathoth.  The field earlier belonged to Hanamel’s father and Jeremiah’s uncle, Shallum.  And the Levitical law of redemption meant that Jeremiah had the opportunity to purchase Hanamel’s field.

Consider the circumstances.  Anathoth is a little village out in the countryside.  Not much of a place for business or farming.  And with the Babylonian army threatening to confiscate every bit of private property, who is going to risk plowing and planting the field?  Furthermore, Jeremiah himself was in jail.  So why would he act on such craziness?

But God instructs Jeremiah, “Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time.  …Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.” (vv. 14-15).  God is saying that even this darkest hour will pass and invites Jeremiah to show great faith by believing that the people of Israel will once again flourish.

We are to believe that Jeremiah bought the field, not for any earthly purpose, but for a heavenly purpose of demonstrating his faith in a God who remains faithful to his people.  Jeremiah affirmed his hope for the future in the purchase of land.  He was saying by his purchase, “Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”  God will restore the devastation.  Crops will again flourish.  Families will return to their homeland.  The good life of community will take precedent over tragedy and sorrow.

And after Jeremiah had given the deed of purchase to Baruch to put into a clay jar so would be preserved for a long time, he prayed, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.” (v.17).

That was Jeremiah’s faith.  He believed that God was not yet finished with his people in Judah.  So, he invested in the future.  Seeing the possibilities beyond the immediate difficulties, he purchased the field.  He wholeheartedly believed that nothing is too hard for God.  Such faith amid much pain and seemingly hopeless situation is astounding. 

Hope is that which energizes us and enables us to envision possibility, that is a “way through” that shapes our activity.  When we hope, we expect the future to somehow be much better, no matter what our present condition may be.  Hope energizes and gives meaning to life, whereas hopelessness drains us of the energies of life.

Last week I asked how should you and I, who claim to have faith in God, respond to such threatening situations?  The continuing tense and threatening situation in our nation can cause many of us, even though deeply rooted in the Jesus way of Christian faith, to lean into uncertainty and fear.  But rather than leaning into uncertainty and fear, I think it better for us to lean more seriously into the HOPE given us through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Please join me on this Inauguration Day of new national leadership, in celebrating the blessing of Almighty God who favors neither political party nor race but is alive in our world and rules with love, truth, and justice for all mankind.  He is the basis of our hope for today and tomorrow.  Amen!

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness”  – January 20, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley