Picture the Bible Reflection for April 12, 2021
This week we’re looking at Babylon as found in Jeremiah 52:28-34 and Psalm 137.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+52%3A28-34%2C+Psalm+137&version=NIV
Jeremiah was one of the prophets who shared God’s word with the Israelites. He warned them that they would be attacked and captured. Sure enough, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did just that and they were to go to Babylon.
As I think about what it would be like to be captured, having to travel in a slow manner to a place you don’t want to go, where you could look back and see your home, I can imagine the hearts of the people. I can feel their emotions as I read Psalm 137. Sometimes, this is what it feels like for me as we live through the pandemic. We know what we have had to move away from. It makes us sad, maybe even angry. We long for normal to return.
But as God did not forget them, God does not forget us. Fortunately, we are not in the same context and situation and so we can still be creative and do good in this world. We can look at the past, present and future and see where our hearts are called and what we can do when ‘our exile’ is over.
As I take this week to focus on gratitude, I encourage you to join me. Write a Psalm (like Psalm 151) by inserting your own words in the blanks below.
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in ________________
Praise God for _______________
Praise God because of ________
Praise God with _____________
Praise God with _____________
Praise God with _____________
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
In this video, Jason Silver puts Psalm 137 into a song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYIMLH5NMI
A prayer for us today:
God of all, some stories in the Bible are hard to read maybe even hard to understand. But we thank you for the stories of those who lived before us, who endured hardships and other experiences like we still do to this day. Help us to hear your voice in the prophets of our time, to heed warnings, to stay vigilant, and to do good as long as we have breath. Help us to remember to praise you each day, gifting us with blessings that we can share with others. Be within us and around us as we live for you. Amen.
This week we’re looking at Babylon as found in Jeremiah 52:28-34 and Psalm 137.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+52%3A28-34%2C+Psalm+137&version=NIV
Jeremiah was one of the prophets who shared God’s word with the Israelites. He warned them that they would be attacked and captured. Sure enough, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did just that and they were to go to Babylon.
As I think about what it would be like to be captured, having to travel in a slow manner to a place you don’t want to go, where you could look back and see your home, I can imagine the hearts of the people. I can feel their emotions as I read Psalm 137. Sometimes, this is what it feels like for me as we live through the pandemic. We know what we have had to move away from. It makes us sad, maybe even angry. We long for normal to return.
But as God did not forget them, God does not forget us. Fortunately, we are not in the same context and situation and so we can still be creative and do good in this world. We can look at the past, present and future and see where our hearts are called and what we can do when ‘our exile’ is over.
As I take this week to focus on gratitude, I encourage you to join me. Write a Psalm (like Psalm 151) by inserting your own words in the blanks below.
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in ________________
Praise God for _______________
Praise God because of ________
Praise God with _____________
Praise God with _____________
Praise God with _____________
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
In this video, Jason Silver puts Psalm 137 into a song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqYIMLH5NMI
A prayer for us today:
God of all, some stories in the Bible are hard to read maybe even hard to understand. But we thank you for the stories of those who lived before us, who endured hardships and other experiences like we still do to this day. Help us to hear your voice in the prophets of our time, to heed warnings, to stay vigilant, and to do good as long as we have breath. Help us to remember to praise you each day, gifting us with blessings that we can share with others. Be within us and around us as we live for you. Amen.
RSS Feed