In Distant Lands (Zechariah 10:9)

 


Wednesday, November 20, 2024


Psalm 48

Zechariah 10:6-11:3

Revelation 8


In Distant Lands (Zechariah 10:9)


Going through all these Old Testament prophets as closely as we have been runs the risk of us falling into a couple of traps. One of these is that, since so much of God’s eternal message is wrapped up in local imagery, us Christians out in the boonies might not see how it applies to us. Another is that we start thinking that, since the concepts are so high and mysterious, then it must apply to some time far away, and have little to no relevance to us.


Yet we must remember that God’s thoughts are so far removed from ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) that he has, in his generosity to us, “dumbed down” his message so that we can have a chance of understanding just what exactly he is getting at. As much as we might think otherwise, we humans don’t do so well with dry facts; we do much better with narrative and story.


This story God is telling us has some wonderful themes, and it is one of those themes we are reading about today: “in-gathering”. God is in all places and all times, calling out his people, and gathering them into his blessed kingdom. And yes, even us out in the boonies (or, if we want to be more biblical in our terminology, “distant lands”) are being called home to God.


Another theme surrounds this word “remember”. God is always “remembering” his people: not that God could ever forget anything, but rather God places the concerns of his people as his personal concern. And so, for us in distant lands, not only has God remembered us, but we remember him: not that we could ever get away from God and “forget” him, but rather we have made God’s concerns our concerns too.


Australia is nowhere near what we call “The Holy Land”. Yet there is another name for this place that we should want to adopt: “The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit”. In these distant lands, here on the edge of the world, even we remember God. Us and our children will survive, and we will return to the Lord.


What do you remember to remember? What do you forget to remember? In what area of your daily life could you bring out God’s concerns more, so that you remember him better?


Lord, who does not reject us but answers us: remember us in your great plan for humanity, and help us remember you better in our own adventure of this life. Strengthen us with your Holy Spirit so that we may walk in your name, the only name given to us for our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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