God’s Faithfulness (Even When Things Go Wonky)
Elaine Poproski Download: Audio
Sunday Reflection
Read Doreen Raymer’s reflection, titled, “Focusing On Today,” from Sunday’s sermon. You’ll find it in the Sunday Reflections blog.
Sunday Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29:1-14 (NRSV)
These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles… Read More…
Looking to Sunday
by Elaine Poproski
Over the last few weeks I’ve heard myself say, more than once, that God is a God of infinite detours. What I mean by that statement is that no matter what obstacles are thrown in the path ahead of us when we’re following God’s leading, no barrier is so big that God can’t find a way around it. I’ve seen this in my own life and I continue to see this in the life of our church. It’s a truth that keeps ringing through my ears as the lyrics of “Desert Song” play on repeat in my head. Consider, for instance, this line from the chorus: No weapon formed against me shall remain. The song continues:
This is my prayer in the battle
when triumph is still on its way.
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ,
so firm on His promise I’ll stand.
When we’re in the middle of things, when it seems like there’s no way out or forward, our God is a God who provides.
On Sunday we’re going to be considering Jeremiah’s words of encouragement and hope to those who’d been exiled from the Promised Land after the Babylonian King annihilated Jerusalem in the early 6th century before Christ. You can read the story for yourself in 2 Kings 24–25 as well as in 2 Chronicles 36. On Sunday we’ll be looking specifically at Jeremiah 29:1–14. These are the prophets words of encouragement to a people who must have been wondering what the God of their ancestors was up to. They must have been questioning everything they’d ever thought to be true. Their nation had been destroyed. They had no standing on the world stage. They were definitely not the light to the nations God had so long ago intended them to be. Was it over? Was the journey of God’s people at an end? No. Because God is the God of infinite detours.
As you prepare for Sunday, think about your journey with God. Is it on track? Can you see God’s hand bringing you to where you are now? Are you encouraged in your journey or are you despairing or confused or doubting? Whatever you’re feeling, whatever you’re thinking, take it to God in prayer. Lay it all out before Him – nothing is off limits when we’re talking to God, use whatever words you need, yell and scream if that’s what you need, cry or shout or sing if that’s what you need. And ask God to remind you of who He is and what He’s done. Ask Him to convince you that He is faithful and that you can stand firm on that truth.