Christmas

This devotional is written by Becky Charles. Becky is a supercool, if slightly disorganised, human.

14 "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

15 "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it[a] will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.'

This passage looks forward to the coming of Jesus, who will set up justice and right-ness for people to live by in the land. We value the same things as God- justice or fairness, the ability to live well in freedom and for people to treat each other with love and respect. In Jesus, God has enacted our deepest desires to enable people to live in this life-giving way.

The context in which this passage was written was war, with Jerusalem under siege. There was fighting, famine and disease. God had told Jeremiah that they would be conquered by the invading army, but also that God would heal and restore them to abundant health, prosperity, safety and good governance. In that painful time God looked ahead and spoke of fuller and better things to come, which enabled people to live in hope.

It strikes me that God is faithful even when things are tough- God was in the process of carrying out his promise, even though it was still some way off when Jeremiah was writing. In a similar way we await Jesus' coming, when God will bring about eternity and "'will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain..." (Rev. 21:4). We also have a fuller and better future ahead and can live in hope of it now.

In this year of lockdowns and limitations we are probably all waiting for good things to come, whether for a vaccination or a relaxing Christmas break. Let's remember that God is faithful and is working good things out, even when times are tough (Romans 8:28).