Psalm 79 • Micah 4:1-5 • Revelation 15:1-8
Life is not easy. Nor does it magically become easier when we become Christians. What does change is how we respond because we have promises of restoration, redemption, and salvation from God. This shifts our perspective from the problem, our exile experience, to God’s Word.
Micah’s words remind us that, 1) God is with us even when we cannot see or feel God’s presence. Though we are living through an unprecedented time and face a variety of uncertainties, our faith can be strengthened because of God’s presence. Our challenging times often draw us closer to God, inviting us to seek wisdom and direction from scripture and from the great cloud of witnesses who provide testimony of surviving and thriving.
2) We can look to our history as a community of believers and within our own personal lives to witness God’s faithfulness and redemption. Reflecting on the past few decades reminds us how we and our families have overcome and survived. Remembering can be a source of support amid trying times. We can hold on to the hope that if God did it before, God can do it again.
So yes, we recognize that life is not easy, that we may experience ‘exile,’ but also that we can hold to the hope and faith that God restores and is able to bring us out of exile experiences.
Thank you for your presence in difficult times. Guide us through our exile experiences into the hope of a restored future.
Dr. Awa Jangha
Loise Henderson Wessendorff Assistant Professor of Spiritual Integration in Counseling
Seminary of the Southwest
Listen to Awa read her meditation and prayer:
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