Lutheran Seminary – Moved by the Promise – God Pause – Monday, 30 December 2013 Jeremiah 31

Lutheran Seminary – Moved by the Promise – God Pause – Monday, 30 December 2013 Jeremiah 31: 7 For thus says the Lord:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

    and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,

    “Save, O Lord, your people,

    the remnant of Israel.”

8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

    and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

    those with child and those in labor, together;

    a great company, they shall return here.

9 With weeping they shall come,

    and with consolations[a] I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,

    in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,

    and Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

    and declare it in the coastlands far away;

say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him,

    and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.”

11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,

    and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,

    and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,

over the grain, the wine, and the oil,

    and over the young of the flock and the herd;

their life shall become like a watered garden,

    and they shall never languish again.

13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,

    and the young men and the old shall be merry.

I will turn their mourning into joy,

    I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness,

    and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,

says the Lord.

Footnotes:

a. Jeremiah 31:9 Gk Compare Vg Tg: Heb supplications

Many of us can relate to the experience of Jeremiah. We, too, have experienced being knocked down and abandoned. We have at times lost our way. My whole life has been filled with zigzags, detours, and adventures galore. It has involved stumbling, staggering, and even falling down on occasion, but there has always been God's saving grace to guide me by brooks of water and turn my mourning into joy.

So I, too, will sing aloud with gladness and rejoice in the dance. Although I still don't always get it right, and my path is far from straight, I do know that I'm in good hands. May we all give praise to the one who goes with us wherever we go, even when we know that the way may not be easy. I don't know about you, but that gives me great comfort and strength. It also doesn't hurt that I have more padding now to absorb the bumps along the way!

God of hope, we ask that you continue to uplift us and refresh us each day as we put our hope and trust in you. AMEN!

Meg Sander

Pastor of Children, Youth and Family, First Lutheran Church, Kearney, Neb.

Jeremiah 31:7 For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, "Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel."

8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.

9 With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock."

11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.

13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.(NRSV)

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