Reverend Jimmy Moore, preaching
Psalms 13:1-6; Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-14
How Long, O Lord?: Spiritual Resources for Living in Exile
“How…much… longer?” Parents know the question very well. It is a version of the “Are we there yet?” question that the little ones in the back seats ask of the adults in the front seats on a long drive. But now, many of us are asking this question in a hundred different ways. How much longer will we be facing the challenge of this virus? When will I be able to get my hair cut? When can I quit worrying about whether we will find enough paper towels? Sometimes the question is much more poignant. How much longer before my business can reopen? When will I be able to get a job again? How much longer shall those in health care be inundated with such an incredible patient load under such risky circumstances? When will my health or the health of my loved one return? Will it?
These questions, and the growing body of information we are receiving, help us know that we’re going to be at this for a while. As many have said, our ways of doing health, church, business and life are going through a radical change. How does our faith help us manage?
There is a biblical word that could open some windows to understand and hope: exile. Our experience has become, at least for some of us, an exile. In many ways, we are cut off from life as we have known it. And in the Hebrew Scriptures, the themes of Exodus and Exile play prominent roles in helping the people of God understand who we are called to be. The exile experienced by the southern kingdom of Judah that began in 586 BC, called the Babylonian Captivity, did not involve taking everyone to Babylon. But many, including leaders and influential people were taken to live in Babylon. And this lasted for seventy years.
Those who went had choices to make: Would they accept this destiny easily? Would they despair? Would they find a third way? Would they be able to recover from a loss of residence, from a disruption of community fellowship, finding a completely way to worship, since they could no longer be near the temple? What lessons have they and others in exile learned that might help us?
In our online worship service on Sunday, the sermon is titled, “How Long, O Lord?: Spiritual Resources for Living in Exile,” arising from Psalm 13:1-6, and Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-14. Brianna Murray will sing and we will celebrate Holy Communion virtually. Just have some bread and juice, or whatever you have available, and through the permissions of the bishop for this special time, we’ll take the sacrament together.
Join us on the livestream at 10:25AM for the 10:30 Service by going to the St. Mark’s Website at www.smumc.church and clicking on the Live Stream button. The service is recorded and you can access it about an hour after the service ends by clicking on the archive section.
We look forward to connecting with you this Sunday.