Jeremiah 14:19-22 - "Into Exile: Does God Need Reminding?"

Rembrandt: Jeremiah weeping over the destruction of Jerusalem.

Synopsis: The Judean Temptation to worship false idols is not just an ancient problem. In times of crisis, transition, or need we often turn to (lower-case) gods to solve our problems and assuage our anxiety about the unpredictability of the future. As for the Hebrews going into Exile, Jeremiah challenges them to cast aside their false gods who offer them no solace or success. And yet, we continue to worship our trinkets, screens, and tangible objects which offer us a comfort that is fleeting in the face of real questions like, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” On the other hand, God continues to pursue Jeremiah’s people in grace and love, causing us to wonder the opposite, “Why do good things happen to bad people?”

Keywords: Jeremiah, Exile, worship, praise, truth, grace, justice, holiness, Trinity, incarnation, false gods, temptations, idolatry

Psalm 150 - “Psalms, Part 1: A Righteous Racket"

The first of a four part series on the Psalms. According to Walter Brueggemann, the Psalms come to us in three primary, genres (Psalms of Orientation, Disorientation, and Reorientation) which lay bare the emotional arc of the human heart and remind us that our emotions are, to quote Mr. Rogers, “mentionable and manageable.” Psalm 150 is a Psalm of Orientation, singing praises and giving thanks for God’s goodness and trustworthiness to fulfill promises. We are called to praise because we are created to praise. We express love, honor, joy, and devotion when we talk about the people and things we love. We become what we praise, and when we praise God we reprioritize our lives and point ourselves towards the life and love of the Crucified, Risen Jesus.

Keywords: Easter, Resurrection, Jesus, Christ, praise, joy, gratitude, emotions, music