That said, it was fantastic as we gathered virtually online this morning to hear testimonies from some of our more mature members that recalled some of our history, and also to hear from others, who spoke into our present and future. These resonated powerfully with some things that God has been saying to me as I have been praying and reflecting this week, and so I want to pick up two things:
A People in Exile
One of our Leadership Team shared prophetically from Jeremiah 29. I was particularly attentive as this past week I also have been drawn to reflecting on this letter from the prophet Jeremiah to those in exile in Babylon. It is a powerful letter that speaks to a people who have been separated from their homeland, from their familiar way of life, and from their established pattern of approaching God in worship.
The letter contains the often quoted words: ”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.” (v.11), which are beautiful words to hear from God, bringing assurance that all our days and times are in the hands of Almighty God, who is working for our good. However, this verse is preceded by v.10 where those in exile were told they would remain away from Jerusalem, with its familiar patterns of life and worship for 70 years! The challenge in earlier verses is that they should settle down and seek the good of Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 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” (vv.5-7)
The prophetic message this morning brought a powerful challenge; that as Christendom fades, as the society we live in seems less and less familiar and comfortable for us as Christians, we need to settle down, and seek the good of the city into which God has called us. This may be in our engagement with those who make decisions in our city, and will certainly involve prayer. We were encouraged to pray for our city and to prayer walk our local streets, which has been a theme from others, including myself, over recent months.
My reflections on these verses have focussed more on the current pandemic, which has decimated our familiar patterns of life and worship. In many ways the current lockdown restrictions have placed us in exile. I hope we won’t be in lockdown for 70 years! However, it is important we think about and examine how we respond.
- There may be grief and longing for the old familiar ways. Certainly Psalm 137 would suggest that this was part of Israel’s response: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion...” It is ok to mourn the loss, and we should expect to feel a longing for that which has been taken from us.
- We need to creatively establish new patterns of worship. One of those in exile was a young man named Daniel, and we find in Daniel 6:10 that “he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God…” This is a marked change from the familiar pattern of worship Daniel would have grown up with in Jerusalem; where the Temple provided access to God, led by priests on endless rotas for sacrifice and singing. Yet Daniel, in a foreign land, had to find new ways to come to God. It must have been a deliberate decision, and I’m sure it was a pattern he worked on and honed. We need to be deliberate in finding ways that help us approach God, and find life there.
- We need to work for the good of our neighbourhood, community, city and nation. Jeremiah urges the exiles to seek the good of Babylon, and Daniel sets an example of a God-fearer, who applied himself in the service of the courts of the King of Babylon. In small ways and big ways we need to understand any positive influence we can exert as being God’s call to us at this time of exile.
- We need to be confident that God is in control. Just has he had good plans for Israel’s future, he also has good plans for us. We need to be confident that God has not left us, or been caught off guard, or that these days are not outside of his power and plan. He is God over all, and worthy of our praise!
How big is your vision?
You may remember that I recently held out a vision for seeking new ‘thresholds’. These are places in which we can connect relationally with those in our local community. Whilst people may never voluntarily cross the threshold of the church, we need to seek places in which through social activity, social action and partnering with others in the community, everyday relationships with neighbours, family, friends, or work colleagues may be deepened, and the gospel demonstrated relationally. I believe there are already some established and new opportunities opening even in the last weeks. I wonder what other opportunities we can find, and whether we will be willing to pay the cost for applying ourselves to them?
In the online service, one member recalled her leaving on mission to India, and as her boat set sail the church gathered at the water’s edge and sang in worship. What a beautiful picture.
However, before the service today I had walked down Northumberland Street praying for the homes around the church, that whole families may come to faith. I was prompted to stop, and ahead of me the road sloped steeply down to the Mersey. I looked out on the river and I saw these new young believers flooding down the streets and boarding boats, carrying the gospel with them. Then flashed into my mind the words of Michael O'Mahoney (quoted on the art work at the end of Old Hall Street) “Liverpool – Threshold to the ends of the earth”. I was struck that the vision needs to be bigger; thresholds that open to the ends of the earth.
I sang songs of worship as I returned home. I sat on the sofa, I logged into Zoom, and was arrested by a testimony of leaving for India on a boat, which set the bells ringing in my head and heart. The Tab’s history is loaded with men and women who have been sent, near and far, carrying the gospel with them. I long to see not only local people come to faith, but as disciples, them taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We need to faithfully and doggedly make small steps forward, inspired by a much greater vision of God.
This pandemic may feel like exile, but God has a history of using exile to form his people in creatively new and dynamic ways. The Tab has a rich history, and I wonder what new stories might be emerging as the Tab approaches 150 years.
Comments
Post a Comment