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Micah 7.14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock that belongs to you, which lives alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, show us marvelous things. Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of your possession? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency. He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

As I read the passage, I was struck with a sense of motion or swaying. Is the author talking about God or to God? Are we stuck in the forest or is there hope and bounty nearby? If today is hard, were the “good old days” marvelous? Is the author reminding God of his compassion or demanding the faithfulness that God swore to his people?

With time and distance, I am better able to gain perspective, to see where God was at work in my life, to acknowledge what was marvelous. I recently read Exodus, and there were plenty of challenges for the Israelites back then; they were fearful and sick of manna and doubting all in the midst of the marvelous things including God appearing to Moses. I say this to remind myself that “yes, today may have challenges”, I may be living in fear or resentment, and I may miss that this current moment is marvelous.

For me, this is the ongoing juxtaposition of Covid times. Life turned 180 degrees. A year ago, I was exhausted and burned out, wishing I could take a break from the daily hustle to midtown, slow down and live deeper. Some days I feel cut off from the flock, and yet I have gotten to know many much better than I could have in “normal” overscheduled life. The joy that my parents will be fully vaccinated means that it is time for me to return home, which is bittersweet. Working online meant I could participate in Sacred Ground and God Has Work for Us to Do.

The end of the passage I hear as a reminder: God can remake you, so let him. God is faithful, so know you are his flock. God is committed and therefor you are called to be too. And all of that, to me, is marvelous.

Jeremiah 33.14-16

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

The days are short and keep getting shorter. I am far from home and what I consider to be “my life”; I’m upstate with elderly parents who are recuperating but also insisting they can do everything themselves. I wonder daily is this my life? What am I up here for; am I really helping?

And there is advent. A time to recall the promise made by God to his people, a promise of hope and restoration, a promise of safety, and a promise of justice and righteousness.

So on days where all of the dislocation and tumult feels so overwhelming, the message of advent strikes me as a call. Have faith that God has moved me to be right where I need to be. Pray, meditate, listen - there is hope even in this hour, this moment, this breath. God’s promise is coming, stay awake, stay present and know that promise is being fulfilled.