Staying hopeful in hopeless situations

That was the most irrational suggestion; to buy a land in a country which at war when the enemy has advanced to the citadels of its capital. But that suggestion was from God.

Prophet Jeremiah had been prophesying that his beloved country, Judah, is to fall at the hands of the Babylonians. His prophecy has come true. The Babylonian army has besieged Jerusalem. It has been a year now; the Babylonians had been waiting for the surrender of the people in Jerusalem. Other prominent cities are already fallen. Judah is already under the control of the Babylon for ten years now.

But God told Jeremiah to buy a land in his village of Anathoth from his relative (Jeremiah 32). The whole country, including the village of Anathoth (just 5-6 km from Jerusalem) is about to be occupied by the Babylonians in a matter of days. Though Jeremiah protested, he had to surrender to the divine command, and he bought it. That was a risky deal—buying a land in a war-torn country, which is sure to fall to the enemy. But Jeremiah did it, or God convinced him to do that.

What was God's argument? God told Jeremiah, that it is a symbolic act. The Babylonian army is to have a sure victory and they will overrun the land in a matter of days. The king, nobles and many people will be exiled out of their country, if they are fortunate enough to survive the sword. However, God is going to bring them back in the future, to occupy their land to build their houses and dwell. Though it will take about seven decades, God will make it happen. Jeremiah had a double message. One of judgment—God is going to punish the people for their sins as he allows the Babylonians to rampage the land and people. At the same time, God's act is not only judgment. He also promised them hope. After seven decades of exile is over, they will return to their land. 

The message of judgment is proclaimed, and it is now taking place as the Babylonians army is positioned at the gates of Jerusalem. But in this situation of fear and hopelessness God want to assure them of the future hope of return to the land.

That hope must be demonstrated, and God asked Jeremiah to help. By buying a land, in a country threatened with war and imminent defeat, Jeremiah had to buy this piece of land to proclaim by his action that: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’ Jeremiah 32:15). It was an act of trust in God's promises.

God judged his people as Jerusalem and its temple was destroyed and the people were taken to exile. But God did not forget his promise. Seventy years after this event, he brought his people back, as he promised to buy houses, fields, and vineyards in that land.

However, Jeremiah never claimed his property. A few years after the destruction of Jerusalem, he was dragged to Egypt and died there never to see the land he purchased during the wartime. That is the life of the prophet, they live out the word of God in absolute surrender without any questions asked. They are loser in some sense, but they made the point clear that God is not just a God of wrath but also hope and compassion. Purchasing the land, he lost money, so he was a loser in one sense. However, he inspired many to hope in God. 

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Photo courtesy: ("Netherlands-4257 - Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by archer10 (Dennis) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

The Lonely Jungle Babbler

Every day it comes, and pecks at the glass panel of the window of my study. It is a Jungle Babbler, a very common bird in the Indian subcontinent. It dances flying up and down and fluttering its wings. Sometimes, three or four times a day it repeats this ritual. I thought it is trying to get into my room or fly through as it can see the other side. But why does it keep coming, can't it make out after three or four attempts that it can't fly through? 

I told my Neighbor, whom I consider an expert on birds, about this winged visitor. She explained that the babbler is pecking at its own reflection, thinking that it is another bird. I thought of verifying her suggestion. The following day I kept the window half open, drawing one panel fully open. The babbler came as usual. Perched on the window, looked into my room through the open panel but did not enter the room or peck. But it moved to the side of the window where there is glass and started pecking on the glass and dancing. So, I my Neighbor is right, it was pecking at its own reflection, thinking it is another bird. 

The Jungle Babblers are found in flocks of seven; that is why they are called "Sath Bhai" in Hindi, or "seven sisters" in English. But this Babbler moves around alone, not in a flock. Maybe it is an outcast. It may be searching for a friend or a flock to belong to. It comes many times a day, hoping to lure its image to join his company. Poor lonely Babbler. 

Loneliness is a terrible thing, to be alone, having no one to belong to. God pitied the man he created and said to himself that, "it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). So, God made a female companion for the first man. The institution of marriage is seen as God's remedy for loneliness. But not all humans get married, there are lots of singles, many widows and widowers as well. Loneliness prevails. 

Human beings are social. God intended that they live in the company of each other. Loneliness creates distress and meaninglessness. Like the lonely Jungle Babbler, we are looking for someone to belong to as we live in an increasingly individualist world. All that many of us can see is only our image and nobody else. That sinks us further into loneliness and depression. 

One way of beating loneliness is to experience the presence of God in our lives. The indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to experience the presence of God. Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit who will be with us "forever." Through his Spirit, Christ is present with us as he promised that he is with us till the end of the world. A person who holds on to the promises of God could be alone, but not lonely. 

The midday heat and the morning breeze

The night is hot, the mercury could touch 42 Celsius or more in the coming days. However, I normally sit on the balcony in the morning and evening for my prayer and meditation where there is a generous supply of refreshing morning breeze. But by midday, I forget the cool breeze and complain about the heat, sweat, and humidity. Often forget that the evening breeze will be cool, and then comes the morning with an even cooler breeze to make up for the heat of the noon.

We complain when life gets hotter but ignore the moments of cool breezes that we had and still have.

Not practical, nor pragmatic, just blind faith

I believe most of us are very practical in our thinking. Practical thinking is assessing if something that we plan to do is doable. For example, Bungee jumping. The observation that so many people have done it, and they are doing it makes me think that I can do it also. So, I do it. That is practical thinking.

However, though we often confuse practical thinking with pragmatic thinking they are different. In simpler terms the pragmatic decision also asks another question—though it is achievable, will it lead to some useful results? Bungee jumping is again the example. I can plunge into the ravine with one end a rope tied to my ankle and the other end firmly tied to a post, with all life-saving systems on stand-by. But what am I going to get out of it? In real terms, nothing useful is going to come out of it. So, though it is practical it is not pragmatic. But if I am descending to the ravine to save a person fallen into it, that Bungee jumping is not useless; the decision to do that is certainly pragmatic.
 

Ruth’s (the Biblical character) decision to follow Naomi was not pragmatic. Her sister Orpah weighed the pros and cons of following the mother-in-law to the homeland and decided that it is not pragmatic, so she returned home. However, Ruth was also equally persuaded by the mother-in-law to return; she also might have found out that it is not pragmatic to follow the frail old woman who cannot promise a better life. But she still followed her.
 

However, the rest of the story tells us that, though Ruth’s decision was not a well-considered pragmatic decision, it turned out to be the best for her and her mother-in-law. Orpah who was extremely pragmatic vanished from the story as she took the first step back home.
 

Ruth flourished, she found a husband who happened to be rich, kind, and righteous in his dealings. She became the grandmother of the great king of Israel, David, and also the ancestor of the promised Messiah. Her name is mentioned in the sacred books of two major ancient religions—Judaism and Christianity.
 

What turned Ruth’s decision a very pragmatic decision? It is the invisible mover who is behind the story of the Book of Ruth. The book got its name after the main character, Ruth. However, a closer look reveals that Ruth is not the main character, nor even Naomi. The name Ruth is mentioned 12 times in the Book excluding the pronouns referring to her. However, God is mentioned 19 times excluding pronouns! So, in the author’s mind, the crucial character is God rather than Ruth. Though he is not center stage, he moves the pieces, to bring what otherwise ended tragically to a happy ending—and they lived happily ever after.
God is the divine orchestrator, the invisible mover. He prompts Ruth to follow Naomi back to her homeland. He leads her to Boaz’s field during harvest season. He brings Boaz to the field when Ruth was there. He makes Naomi advise Ruth to go to Boaz’s threshing field to ask Boaz to marry her and protect her. The same invisible mover makes the marriage happen and a son born to the once destitute Ruth.

Though pragmatic thinking has its due place, the success of life is not all in the best pragmatic reasoning. It is God, the invisible mover behind each individual’s story decides the outcome of our life. Ruth decided to make Naomi’s God, her God. When she decided to follow the God of the Bible, God shadowed her wherever she went. 

(Photo courtesy: Arun Mathew)

Overstating miseries, overlooking divine possiblities

 

Sometimes we overstate our miseries. That is what Naomi did also.

It is true that he had become a widow, and she lost her sons as well. She is too to old get married again and have a husband or children. She had two words to describe her misery. She says to the townspeople who had come to welcome her back to Bethlehem: “I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

A victim of self-pity, she calls herself empty. However, she is not empty; she had Ruth with her. In addition to her company and care Ruth later fills Naomi’s life with joy, security and happiness. Naomi failed to see that life will flourish again with that young woman who has left her kindred to follow her. In her distress she over stated her misery.

Another word that she used to describe her also shows how she overstated the pain of her life. When the women of her village called her Naomi (which in Hebrew means “sweet” or “pleasant”) she retorted that she is no more sweet but bitter (Hebrew, “mara”). She even changed her name! She is not saying that she is bitter towards anyone, but her life has no joy, it is a bundle of bitter experiences.

She thought that three tragedies has wiped out all joy from her. I can sympathize with her. One small discomfort could suck dry all our happiness. How much more three deaths in a row? She is justified in some sense. But she seems to have ignored the truth that sorrow is not there to stay forever. God being on her side, every mourning will turn into dancing. The psalmist puts it this way: “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psa 30:5, ESV).

However, we have no excuse to whine as Naomi did. Because God has assured us through his apostle that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV). When there is no one in sight, the invisible God is there. He fills our cup until it overflows, leaves none of us empty and dry.

In times of extreme suffering the promises of God strengthens the believer: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, ESV).

To overstate our troubles, we need to close our eyes toward the God of possibilities.

(Photo courtesy: First Presbyterian Church, La Grange)

Taking decisions

 

Naomi was a passive victim of a wrong decision that heaped tragedies upon tragedies upon her family. They decided to migrate to Moab when famine struck their town, Bethlehem, which rather ironically means "house of bread." There in Moab they had food in plenty, I suppose, but she lost all the male members of the family. Her husband first, her sons next, in that order. All that was left was two young widows and she.

It was indeed a wrong decision. They should not have left the Bethlehem. The Book of Ruth tells us that all the residents of that town did not leave their homes and fields for Moab during the famine. They stayed back and fought the famine. 

However, Naomi was not probably responsible for that wrong decision. In a patriarchal society like hers, the husband and the adult male members took the decisions on behalf of the rest of the family. The women just followed since they didn't have a say in what was decided. Probably, the decision to go to Moab was her husband's decision not even of her sons' since they were probably young.

However, what is important is what Naomi did when the authority to take decisions in the family fell on her. In the absence of her husband and sons, she had to take decisions. She took the right decision: to return back to the homeland. That was the right decision in the right direction. 

It led to blessings in her life. She had security in her life as Boaz walked in as the husband and redeemer of Ruth. There was immense joy when Obed was born who later became the grandfather of David the great king of Israel. Then centuries later, the Jesus Christ the savior of the world was born in her family. 

One right decision, in the right direction is all that you have to take to walk the path of God's blessings and joy.

[Photo courtesy: Engin Akyurt]

Praying for the enemy

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:43—45, ESV).

Sudeesh is honest and sincere with a good amount of curiosity. While passing by a church on Sunday morning he asked someone walking to the church what do they do in the church every Sunday. Tom, one of the church-goers whom he stopped, thought for a while and answered, “we pray for people like you.” Though it is the simplest answer that Tom come up with, it bewildered Sudeesh. "You pray for others?" Sudeesh was shocked. “We only pray for ourselves and for those whom we love and care for.” That is true. Most people limit their prayers to themselves and also for their dear ones, if they can find time for that. Jesus challenges us further demanding to love our enemies and even pray for them.

Enemies fall into two classes. One, the people whom we consider as our enemies—people whom we hate and hurt. However, a disciple of Christ is not allowed to hate or harm others. So enemy in this context are not those whom we consider as enemies. However, there is another possibility. These are people who hate and harm us. We have no control over them like the authorities who persecuted the poor, helpless Christians. They considered the Christians whom they persecuted as enemies. They could justify persecuting them once they view them as enemies because in their opinion enemies had to be done away with.

However, the value-system that Jesus taught his disciple is different. Jesus taught that our enemy is not the one we hate, but they are those who hate us. But it is our duty to love them and not hate them. In other words, though they consider us as enemies, we have to consider them as people who deserve our love.

Jesus raised the bar further. He said, it is not just loving; love is just a feeling. But love should lead us to pray for them. But Jesus didn’t clarify what should a Christian pray for their persecutors. Are we asked to pray that they should stop persecuting, or that their persecution is more bearable? 

The answer to these questions is in Jesus’ prayer on the cross. He did not pray that they will poke him with their spears a bit more gently, nor their ridicule is milder. His prayer was an intercession for forgivenes for his persecutors. He asked father God to forgive them since they don’t really understand what they are doing. He asked God to forgive their ignorance. 

Prayer for the enemy still focuses on the enemy and not on us. It is not our comfort that we seek when we pray for our enemies but theirs that God may forgive them.