Wednesday, December 15

There you shall be rescued,

    there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hands of your enemies. (Micah 4:10)

 

Exile comes in many forms. For the Israelites, exile was a physical removal from their homeland to Babylon, where new cultures and religions competed with their devotion to the God of their ancestors.

 

Throughout Micah, the prophet reminds the Israelites of their iniquities and how much they deserve this punishment of exile. But Micah is not without hope. God does not abandon His people and He promises to restore Jerusalem and bless Israel with a Messiah who defeats sin and death forever.

 

For many of us today, exile does not have to look like removal from the place of our births. Separation from loved ones, either emotional separation or physical distance, can feel like exile. Stress and sickness can separate us from the ones we love and make us feel abandoned or without hope. In a world of daily death and destruction, even watching the evening news can make us feel disconnected from God.

 

But Micah reminds us that we have a God who will never abandon us. Jesus has already rescued us from sin and death, our greatest enemies. We have hope when life is bleak, because we are never truly alone. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus’ birth during the darkest days of the year point us to the light and remind us that when we feel exiled, God always holds us closer.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for your steadfast love that never lets us go. Help us to remember that love when the world brings us low and help us share that love to lift others to the light that is our Savior, Jesus. Amen.

 

Heidi Shilanskas is a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.