Last Sunday, we had our first prayer and intercession meeting of 2024. As we just started fasting together as a church family in January, it seemed fitting to start the year off with prayer. We had 19 people join us for intercession, which definitely exceeded our expectations for the meeting as we had to keep expanding our circle of seats as people joined! This was the largest in-person intercession we’ve had since the pandemic, so it was great to start off the year this way.
We took the time to pray through the list of ministries at Lifespring. We listed the different areas of the church from worship and life groups to missions and HOPE. My group had an opportunity to pray for family ministries. As we prayed, a chapter of scripture that came up for us was Jeremiah 30. As I read through the chapter, I’ll admit that my first reaction was a bit confused.
Earlier that day, Andrew spoke on the theme for 2024 of “patient endurance.” I appreciated Andrew’s message as a first take on a theme that may seem a little obscure. What does patient endurance mean? What would it look like to grow in patient endurance? I like the way that Andrew described how patient endurance is something that we may not necessarily like, but it is something that we certainly need.
Jeremiah 30 is titled Healing and Restoration for My People. The chapter talks about a time when the people of Israel would be freed from their captivity to other nations. As I read it, two themes stuck out to me in the chapter.
The first was the theme of judgment. This chapter talks about how Israel had been unfaithful to God. Because of this, God was dealing harshly with Israel and Judah (v. 14). As a result, they were going through great suffering.
However, another equally strong theme in the chapter was of restoration and healing. God promises to restore the health of Israel and Judah (v. 17), and bring them to a time when there will be laughter and songs of thanks (v. 19). In that moment, God says to the people, “you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
The two large themes in the chapter are judgment and restoration. Knowing this, you may understand my confusion as I read the chapter – what could this possibly have to do with Lifespring? However, things became clearer as I connected Jeremiah 30 with the theme of patient endurance. I think those two themes of judgment and restoration both make sense for us as a church. In fact, I think judgment and restoration are almost like two sides of the same coin.
With both judgment and restoration, God is doing the same thing. God is calling his people to something higher and greater than the way they were living. When Israel and Judah committed sin, they were harming themselves and those around them. Further, they were also harming God’s good name. Both the judgment and the restoration had the same purpose–to call God’s people to something better, and a higher way of living that would bring life and wholeness to Israel and those around them. In other words, they were being called to love God and love others better.
As we learn about patient endurance this year, may we also learn to love God and love others better. At times, God may challenge us and prod us, much like God prodded Israel and Judah to change their lives and live faithfully. But God also wants to restore and renew us to healthier and higher ways of living, and to leave the old things behind and embrace the new things God is doing. My prayer for Lifespring this year is that we would be faithful to this work, as God calls us and challenges us to be even more faithful in loving God and loving others better.