Jeremiah 31:6
For there shall be a day when sentinels will call
    in the hill country of Ephraim:
“Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.”

There Shall Be a Day

This passage, part of the joyful return of the people of Israel to their home after a long time of exile, proclaims hope in the steadfast nature of the love of God.  One of the key pieces of this hope is that the people believe that the day will come.  They don’t put a date on it – which is important.  When we decide that we know exactly when life will turn around in a way we can celebrate it – missing our arbitrary deadlines messes up our hope.

Years ago, I read about how the POW’s in Vietnam who made it through the war always believed they were coming home, and never put a date on it. Saying – ‘I will be home by Christmas’ set people up for soul wrenching disappointment.  Believing instead that there shall be a day, this was the way forward through the unimaginable journey of their day to day lives.

Time is a tricky business.  We try to measure it, control it, use it for our purposes.  But in the end, time is more unpredictable than that.  The gift is in knowing who we belong to, whose love we live in, and trusting that whatever exile we feel like we are in – There shall be a Day in which we clearly see that the steadfast love of God is and has been with us every step of the way.

Prayer:  Dear God, Help us to trust that your big picture is here surrounding us, and welcoming us into knowing your love for us.  In Jesus Name, Amen

Reflection Questions:

1. Are there places in your life where you feel like you are in exile?
2. What are the hopes you bring to God today?
3. Draw a picture with words or in images of the day that you imagine God’s steadfast love bringing to us today.