Advent Meditations: "The days are surely coming..."
Jeremiah 33:14-16
33:14 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
33:15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
33:16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."
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This Advent, as I wait for the Lord, I wonder what am I waiting for? And how am I waiting? Waiting can take different forms: We can wait in dread, wait in despair, wait in anticipation, wait in joyful expectation, we can wait deliberately or distractedly, patiently or impatiently, we can wait through fervent activity, or wait quietly and prayerfully, being still and knowing God, who is exalted in the heavens.
In some ways, we’re all waiting for something all through our lives, in any given day.
What does the Christian season of advent -- a season deliberately set apart for waiting expectantly, in joyful anticipation for the return of our Lord and Bridegroom, Jesus Christ -- cause in our hearts and minds?
What does it stir in mine? I decided to look at words of Scripture designated for this time.
Look, for starters, at these words in Jeremiah.
Who’s speaking? The Lord; God, who created heaven and earth by the power of His word.
What does He say? “The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Can we count on the word of the Lord? Yes.
So, when He says that some days are “surely coming,” we can be sure they are.
What kind of days? Days of fulfilled promise.
Whose promise? The Lord’s promise.
Who is going to fulfill this promise? The Lord. Good. Because He has the power and authority to do so.
What words are associated with “those days” of fulfilled promise? Justice, righteousness, saved, safety. Good words all.
How will it come to pass? The Lord will cause a righteous Branch to spring up.
And whose righteousness are we talking about? Ours? God forbid! “The LORD is our righteousness."
It’s worth noting that God is speaking about fulfilling a promise made to two rebellious, law-breaking houses: Israel and Judah, who went after other gods, and broke God's heart. These two houses are now under the heavy hand of God's judgment, fallen upon them deservedly.
But here are words of promise, of salvation and safety, of the Lord’s righteousness. These words are spoken to an unrighteous people under judgment, whose beloved, holy city has been ravaged. These words of promise and hope can’t be further from their current reality. But, they’re God’s words. And God’s word is fulfillment. He isn’t precise about the day or time, but He says they are surely coming.
The good news in this passage to a people under judgment is that days are surely coming when it will not be this way, and that the very God whom they disobeyed, loves them so much that He is going to fulfill His promise and do something to transform their existence. And, the message of real hope lies in the fact that it’s not up to them, their ability, their reality, or their righteousness.
It’s all about who God is and what God can do.
It’s about the Lord’s righteousness. And about what the Lord has promised. And about how the Lord will bring to pass.
Hallelujah.
That can have a profound impact on waiting, can’t it, even waiting under the weight of judgment?
33:14 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
33:15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
33:16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."
-------------------------------------
This Advent, as I wait for the Lord, I wonder what am I waiting for? And how am I waiting? Waiting can take different forms: We can wait in dread, wait in despair, wait in anticipation, wait in joyful expectation, we can wait deliberately or distractedly, patiently or impatiently, we can wait through fervent activity, or wait quietly and prayerfully, being still and knowing God, who is exalted in the heavens.
In some ways, we’re all waiting for something all through our lives, in any given day.
What does the Christian season of advent -- a season deliberately set apart for waiting expectantly, in joyful anticipation for the return of our Lord and Bridegroom, Jesus Christ -- cause in our hearts and minds?
What does it stir in mine? I decided to look at words of Scripture designated for this time.
Look, for starters, at these words in Jeremiah.
Who’s speaking? The Lord; God, who created heaven and earth by the power of His word.
What does He say? “The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Can we count on the word of the Lord? Yes.
So, when He says that some days are “surely coming,” we can be sure they are.
What kind of days? Days of fulfilled promise.
Whose promise? The Lord’s promise.
Who is going to fulfill this promise? The Lord. Good. Because He has the power and authority to do so.
What words are associated with “those days” of fulfilled promise? Justice, righteousness, saved, safety. Good words all.
How will it come to pass? The Lord will cause a righteous Branch to spring up.
And whose righteousness are we talking about? Ours? God forbid! “The LORD is our righteousness."
It’s worth noting that God is speaking about fulfilling a promise made to two rebellious, law-breaking houses: Israel and Judah, who went after other gods, and broke God's heart. These two houses are now under the heavy hand of God's judgment, fallen upon them deservedly.
But here are words of promise, of salvation and safety, of the Lord’s righteousness. These words are spoken to an unrighteous people under judgment, whose beloved, holy city has been ravaged. These words of promise and hope can’t be further from their current reality. But, they’re God’s words. And God’s word is fulfillment. He isn’t precise about the day or time, but He says they are surely coming.
The good news in this passage to a people under judgment is that days are surely coming when it will not be this way, and that the very God whom they disobeyed, loves them so much that He is going to fulfill His promise and do something to transform their existence. And, the message of real hope lies in the fact that it’s not up to them, their ability, their reality, or their righteousness.
It’s all about who God is and what God can do.
It’s about the Lord’s righteousness. And about what the Lord has promised. And about how the Lord will bring to pass.
Hallelujah.
That can have a profound impact on waiting, can’t it, even waiting under the weight of judgment?
posted by Ruth at 1:09 AM
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