I attended the Sipes Family Reunion last Saturday. We had twice as many present as we had last year. Eighteen of us gathered at a state park to remember our heritage and to visit with each other. Most of us see each other only once a year.
Last year, my 95-year-old dad was with eight of us cousins. This year it was only cousins. My dad was the last of that generation. It’s a sad thought, but our day was brightened by the presence of the newest member of our family! One of my cousin’s attended along with her daughter and newest granddaughter-only a week old! What a beautiful baby and I was most grateful for the reminder of new life. As long as the earth endures there will be deaths and births.
Life is fragile, especially during this season of time. So many are living in fear of the unknown, unable to distinguish truth and propaganda. Jeremiah, the prophet, met with opposition from the false prophet, Hananiah. Jeremiah told him, “The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies” (Jeremiah 28:15). Is our Nation trusting in lies or the Word of God?
Some days, I feel despair. Yet, when I look at the Word, God gives hope. Even in Jeremiah’s day, with destruction and captivity imminent, God gave the people hope for the future. He promised in 70 years He would bring His people back. (Jeremiah 29:10-11) He also promised a new covenant. Jesus would come to establish this new covenant through His death, burial, and resurrection.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34c).
Having a relationship with Jesus helps us rise above our fears. We have the promise of a better future, which helps us endure our trials here on earth. I’m leaning hard on Jesus and His promises.
“They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).
Won’t that be a wonderful family reunion!!
Yes yes yes! Some days I long for that reunion!
Amen!
Thank you for your thoughts which always get me to start thinking!!! I love the verse from Jeremiah…. it tells me that God loves me and this is how He shows it: HE REMEMBERS MY SINS NO MORE! He didn’t just forget them…. forgetting is an “accidental “ thing, like I forget my appointment or forget where I put something. God didn’t just “forget” my sins. He made a DECISION TO NOT REMEMBER…. like a wife who forgives the husband she loves and decides to not remember his erring ways so that their marriage can continue. “Not remembering “ is a conscious choice made by a loving person, (or in this case, God), because the relationship is MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SIN!!!! That’s a significant difference … and it takes a lot of love! It’s also a lesson for me to live by. So when people say, “I forgive you but I’ll never forget what you did”, they actually haven’t forgiven at all! I’m so thankful that God’s great love for sinful me, causes Him to “not even remember” my many, many sins! And I need to graciously apply give that kind of attitude to others everyday. Judy
Thanks, Judy for your comment. Forgiveness is such a BIG part of our relationship with God and sometimes I struggle with forgiveness. Remembering Jesus’ suffering for me is encouragement for me to be a forgiving person, though not always easy.