Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
I wrote a letter to the priests, the prophets, the leaders of the people, and to all the others whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken away as prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylonia.
“The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those people whom he allowed Nebuchadnezzar to take away as prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylonia:  ‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what you grow in them.  Marry and have children. Then let your children get married, so that they also may have children. You must increase in numbers and not decrease. Work for the good of the cities where I have made you go as prisoners. Pray to me on their behalf, because if they are prosperous, you will be prosperous too.

What a beautiful change of focus, feeling and forging ahead in faith. In the midst of tragedy, trauma, and irreparable change, God’s message of hope is intertwined with peace-making and renewal. Outside influences on our lives occur in unexpected moments, in unpredictable ways. Our calling is to always, every moment, in every way, live in ‘the now’ with God, immerse ourselves in the reality of life, as we look to ‘what can be’ ahead. A faith-filled life does not ignore disaster or trauma. It actually helps you to look at it directly. It does not shelter us from the seismic waves’; rather, to travel through them, one moment at a time. Longing and lament are very real expressions of exhaustion from the constancy of stress, injustice and cruelty, and it becomes very difficult to immerse ourselves in life as it is. Faith draws our focus to an inner strength, where we centre on God. When we are feeling too fatigued, the whole people of God bring an outer expression of strength to us, through our friendship in the Spirit. Together, we can forge ahead, and build, and rebuild, lives in a new way. Community and Christ. Spirit Friend and friendship.

Re-storying the narrative.
Refreshing the dark and shattered places.
Renewing through love and respect.
Peace-making in the Way of Jesus
We do not know the future, yet, we can work towards creating the future in God’s Way.

© Rev Anne Hewitt 05/10/2022