Pastor's Column 2/28/21

PASTOR’S COLUMN

“So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury, where he found some old rags and discarded clothing. He carried these to the cistern and lowered them to Jeremiah on a rope. Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.” Then when Jeremiah was ready, they pulled him out.”

Jeremiah 38:11-13a, NLT

4th Sunday-From Rags To Rescue!

The Book of Revelation, through its imagery of the Four Horsemen, describes the most difficult times in life as during famine, pandemic, war and death. These vexing times will find the human family “most’ in need of help. Nicole Lotz in a design blog written last year, posted the words of Plato, who famously said, “Our need will be the real creator.” This statement was later translated to say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This is to say that when we find ourselves caught in the web of a crisis, there will emerge a way to escape the dilemma. We know as people of faith, that our extremities often have become an opportunity for God to provide something much better. Also, as we dig deep into the wells of our history, we can still drink from the waters of grace which have given us the refreshing of God’s presence. Our hard times have been met with solutions which often defies reality and history. God can take simple things, that help us solve complex issues. It is not always the grand and magnificent resources that bring people to safety, but anything which has the seal of God’s approval can make a difference. Jeremiah, the prophet, had been given a death sentence. He was confined to the bottom of a water reservoir, with no food or water. Mud covered his body, up to his neck. Ebed-melech, an African official, heard of the prophet’s plight. With only rags and volunteers, he rescued Jeremiah. God’s servant and the prophetic word were saved. Little becomes much in God’s providence! Our ancestors were right, “There is a way out of no way.”