October 28th - Reflection

Video
http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=f5f21e1f7db3ecd6af9f

Readings
Jeremiah 51:54-52:34
Jeremiah 51:58 - Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples exhaust themselves for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.
Titus 3:1-15
Titus 3:4-5 - But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 100:1-5
Psalm 100:3 - Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Proverbs 26:18-19

Reflection
He made us and we are His. We are His children. We are His sheep. We are just like the children in the video. We depend on God for everything. We depend on God with and for all our life. Everything we have is from God and everything we need comes from God. We are His children, and we respond with praise and thanksgiving and a love that binds us to the Father. For in His loving kindness, Jesus came to this earth in mercy and through our renewal freely given in baptism we have been claimed by Him as His eternally.

The exile must have been horrible to the few believers of the bunch. The exile and separation from their land and the feeling of separation from God. God had to punish His children for their action. They had left Him for other idols of worship. They had turned their backs on the Saving God of the universe. I'm sure He wanted them back. But even with those who seemed far away from God, there was hope, there was hope of rebuilding, there was hope of new life. Like today, we have hope, and we are in the rebuilding of a new life and a new Church. A life and a Church on the order of what God desires.

See the rebirth. Feel the wetness of the water, the temperature of the water, experience the cleansing and refreshment, and go new and bold into this world, day after day, to be rebuilt in your life and to rebuild the Church into what God desires according to God's plan. Now that's a hope! Now that's Life!

Prayer
Lord, forgive the times that I run away. Forgive the times that I replace You with false hope in false things of the day. Cleanse me and renew me, I pray. Make me into Your desire, that I may boldly go out into the world this day to do Your will, to become what You would have me be and to work in Your Church, today, tomorrow and forever. ---Amen