It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Storm Warning, a Reflection on Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-29

"Return to me," the Lord has said to them. "Flee for safety, do not delay. Your cities will be ruins" (4:1-8).

The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria. Now Babylon was threatening Judah, like a hot wind coming out of the desert toward them, a wind blowing hard.

The words Jeremiah speaks are words of anger and of anguish.

He can see the destruction caused by the strong wind. His people were stupid--they didn't know how to do good. Destruction is overwhelming and everywhere--no stars in the sky, quaking mountains and hills, even the birds have fled.

In Jeremiah's time, they didn't listen to the warnings. They didn't change their ways. Destruction did come. Today, God's people still need to heed the warnings of Jeremiah, to change our ways, to quit being so stupid, to stop doing evil, to learn how to do good.

The destruction of Jerusalem was not the end of the relationship between God and God's people.

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