Repeating patterns
Linda Pollock
October 24, 2022
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Joel 2: 23-28 (NRSVA)
23 O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before.
24 The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.25 I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you.26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
And my people shall never again
be put to shame.28 Then afterwards
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
When I think about the history and interaction of the Children of Israel with God, I see a pattern. Namely, God initiates a relationship of love, God is faithful to the covenant He makes with the people, the people are faithful to Yahweh for a season, they prosper, they turn away from God. God allows the consequences of their behaviour to be lived out, grieves for His beloved children, they humbly cry out to God for mercy, God hears them and restores them… repeat.
When I was young, I used to wonder why the Hebrews were so dim?! As I age, I recognise a similar pattern in my life and the lives of others… and I realise that the pattern reveals our humanity and God’s generosity — among other things.
There is no point in trying to disguise our behaviour or appear as if we are living the “perfect Christian life.” God knows us, knows the patterns in our lives and still, God chooses to love us, to offer us abundant life, to pour out His Spirit upon us, to lift us up to where we might humbly offer ourselves in love and service each new day…
PRAYER:
Eternal God, thank You for walking with us despite our inability at times to walk with You. Thank You for holding fast Your covenant with us despite our wilful disregard of our promises to You. Thank You that even when we live in the humiliation of the consequences of our faithlessness, You faithfully remain invested in us. Humbly, we bow our knee to You and accept Your steadfast love and grace this new day. Amen
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