“After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground,
and he planted a vineyard.”
(Genesis 9:20 NLT)
Tonight our church is going to dedicate a new wing of the building. The groundbreaking was done September 12, 2021 for a building that includes a large pastor’s office, two staff offices, a large conference room, and a fellowship space that would hold 100-150 people, all with the intention of ministry and hospitality done with excellence. Although our pastor would have liked to have the project done before the first of the year, I (and many others) are pleased that it took about six months.
If you think back over the last six months, does it seem like moving forward with a big project would have been the logical thing to do, in light of the events of the world? You probably remember the debacle in the pullout of Afghanistan, inflation creeping higher and higher, scarcity of goods, Delta and then Omicron Covid-19 viruses, uncertainty, strife, civic unrest, economic hardships, and so much more in the news. Before God started me on a new path in 2020, I would have probably said to “batten down the hatches,” store up cash and goods, stay away from other people, and keep your head down until this passes. Many people in this world may be doing that.
But there are times when God calls us to move into the future, even when that action seems (in the natural) to be crazy. Crazy times often lead to “crazy” insight from God.
After a rather tumultuous time as God’s Chosen People in the Promised Land, the Israelites were exiled by God from that Promised Land because of generations of sin. The northern kingdom of Israel was taken away first by the Assyrians – never to return again. After watching their northern brethren be killed, tortured, and exiled, God’s people in the southern kingdom of Judah dreaded the possibility of the Assyrians conquering them. Thankfully, (maybe?) the barbaric and exceedingly cruel Assyrians were conquered by the still-cruel-but-not-quite-as-bad Babylonians, who eventually took over Judah. The Babylonians, however, were not so bent on absolutely crushing dissonance. Instead, they brought the brightest and best of the cultures they conquered and trained them in the “more civilized” ways of the Babylonians. (Think Daniel and his three friends.) In the midst of all these decades of upheaval in the lives of the Israelites, they had to wonder “what can happen next, God?”
Have you ever faced such a dark and seemingly hopeless time in your own life? Did it seem like everything you valued had been destroyed, or at least hijacked or stolen? Could you look around you and wonder, “what is going to happen next?” I expect that in those sorts of times most people who do not know God could easily fall into despair.
But, God answered his exiled people then – and he answers us when we are walking through a dark time.
“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” (2 Samuel 22:29 NIV)
In this very dark time, God spoke to his people through the prophet Jeremiah, giving them some very extraordinary light and wisdom:
“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:5-7 NLT)
Basically, do all the normal things of life – plant gardens, work jobs, get married, have children, seek the peace and prosperity of where you are. And, they did. God’s message to them sounds crazy, under their circumstances, but God never lies or gives bad directions.
Is it crazy to put on a new addition to a church when the whole world seems to be getting more and more crazy every day?
Is it crazy to marry, have children, and pray for the peace and prosperity of your captors?
Is it crazy to start a new business in our day and country right now? To move into a riskier job? To travel? To meet with friends old and new? To write a book or a song or create a new piece of art? To take up a new hobby? To build something entirely new?
Why do we think it is crazy? If it’s God’s call it can’t be crazy. After all, the Israelites eventually rebuilt their lives in their Promised Land.
Just do the “crazy thing” God’s calling you to do and see where God takes you.
Gracious God,
We give thanks to you, for you are good and your faithful love endures forever. Thank you for redeeming us and guiding us when our world seems crazy. Thank you for the reminder that even in the absolute worst of circumstances, your Will, your Word, and your Ways are firm, upright, and perfect. Give us courage to go where you call us to go – even if it seems crazy in this time and place. Help us to sow our time, talents, energy, and treasure into the new things you call for us to do so we can harvest the spiritual and material bumper crops you have for us. Grant us courage and strength so we can prosper and succeed. We pray through the empowerment of Holy Spirit and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
36 He brings the hungry to settle there
and to build their cities.
37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
and harvest their bumper crops.
38 How he blesses them!
They raise large families there,
and their herds of livestock increase.
42 The godly will see these things and be glad,
while the wicked are struck silent.
43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.” (Psalm 107 NLT)
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9 NLT)