As you will have gathered by now I am trying to send some encouragement on a fairly regular basis to those involved in volunteering at No Labels and other aspects of WPN. If you would prefer not to receive these please let me know.
Each Lenten time I try to get some extra daily readings which fit with the season. This year I ordered Bible Reading Fellowships New Daylight over the internet. What I didn’t realise until they arrived was that I had ordered last years! Anyway having sorted where I should be up to ( working backwards from Easter Sunday) I am now in a section about ‘exile’ . One particular entry resonated with me in our current situation.
Well it seems that Ezekiel was open to a development of his theology. Perhaps it surprised him as much as anyone else that while he was dwelling in the very place of desolation he saw visions of God. Jerusalem was closed for business,but Heaven was open. Ezekiel saw lots of visions and they proved one thing clearly- God was not confining his presence to just one place and one temple- His presence was available even in exile.
Exile brings disturbance. We may feel deprived of the usual routines that help us connect with God. Ezekiel would tell us that this is the ideal setting for gaining new visions of God. Any place can be the starting point for gaining a new vision of God.
So although we may feel confined and exiled from our physical contact with our places of worship and brothers and sisters God is not confined. He will meet us where we are.
Take good care,
John.