Great is Thy Faithfulness
During the last few years, we’ve seen a great deal of separation happen here in the West. Many people decided to separate from their jobs during the pandemic (the “Great Resignation”), many from spouses, and many from friends. Great Britain left the EU, children were separated from parents at the border, and polarization has led to widening fault lines in US society. Many of us continue to feel alienated from nature.
In this age of separation, it’s all the more important to think about how God’s not separating from us. I love how Jeremiah 3:12 puts it:
“‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will not be angry forever.’”
At the time, Israel was being faithless, yet God chose to draw near to them. Great is God’s faithfulness to creation even when we are anything but faithful to God. This is good news for us in the midst of all of the faithlessness surrounding us and in us. Since the Garden of Eden we’ve desired to separate from God, but God routinely chooses to draw close to us nonetheless. We always stand in the presence of a nevertheless God.
For the downtrodden and cast out who know separation all too well, God chooses you. For those who feel they are on top of the world and are ignorant of how they have chosen to separate from God, God chooses you too. This is the good news Jesus embodied: God comes close.
How does the restlessness of our souls ultimately point to separation that we’ve chosen and that others have chosen for us? What faithlessness is God calling you away from? Who or what have you separated from that you actually need to draw close to again?
I pray that this rendition of Great is Thy Faithfulness serves as celebration for you as you realize that you, and all of creation, are created for intimacy.