"I will satisfy the weary, and all who are faint I will replenish." Jeremiah 31:25 NRSV
A few years ago, L Street Mission opened on the most severely cold nights as an emergency warming shelter. As folks came in, we would offer them hot food, hot chocolate, and blankets: a temporary warm and safe haven from the harsh realities of living on the streets. The exhausted snores of our guests were music to our ears.
In today's scripture, Jeremiah is relaying God's future promise to Israel's remnant upon their return from Babylonian captivity. As a people, they had rejected God, living sinfully as other nations. For a short while, they would be carried away from their homeland, living under foreign rule. However, in his unfailing love and compassion, he would deliver them once again not just from physical, but also spiritual captivity. He would write his law on their hearts, and he would be their God, and they would be reunited as his people.
God extends the same promise of deliverance to us today; he satisfies the weary and replenishes the faint. While we may offer simple physical comforts to tired and hungry people, only God can supply our spiritual needs.
God, we give you thanks for the compassion and love you show your children. Even when we turn away and neglect our relationship, you continue to love us. In you, we can find relief from our weariness and satisfaction for our spiritual hunger. We pray for all those in the world today suffering from exhaustion and lack of food. Let us be your instruments in meeting these physical needs, and in so doing, show them your love and promise to fill their spiritual needs. In Christ Jesus, we pray. Ament
Blessings!
Pastor Tim
