Living in Hope, Planting a tree

Today's readings are from Jeremiah 26, 27, 28, 29

As many of you know, today is May 21, the date set by some for the rapture and return of Christ. Evidently the money spent to tell people it is going to occur has been enormous. I don't know all of the details, but one report has one of the persons funding the advertising to have "maxed" out his credit cards, because he won't be here to pay them anyway.

As a follower of Jesus I have no doubt that he will return one day. Of that day, he said, "no man knows the day or the hour...only the Father". So, it's with a great deal of skepticism that I approach the day. Can Jesus return? Sure. His return is in the timetable of the Father's will.

What about the present prophecies and today's date?

I read Jeremiah this morning as I usually read through scripture every day. Today's reading is interesting considering today's proposed events. Jeremiah prophesies a period of captivity for the Israelites in Babylon. He says of that in chapter 29:

"This is what the lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce...Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Yes, this is what the lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.
They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the lord. This is what the lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

As a Pastor I live in the constant tension of hope and reality. Hope is part of faith...we live by faith, and so therefore live in hope of what God can do. No matter what the struggle, pain, sickness, disease, problem, we live in faith that our God is not only aware, but acting on our behalf. The reality is all of those struggles, and while we would love to escape them, we must live with the hope that all things do have meaning and purpose. We live to seek the peace and prosperity of the place we live in - in exile. Our home is in heaven, and we will get there soon enough. God knows the details and has the time set, and that is all I need to know.

I use a quote from Martin Luther that I think is appropriate for this life of faith and tension: "Even if I thought the world was going to end tomorrow, I'd still plant a tree today."

Peace

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