4 August 2020

Thus says the Lord:
Your hurt is incurable,
your wound is grievous.
There is no one to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
…
Thus says the Lord:
I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob,
and have compassion on his dwellings…
Out of them shall come thanksgiving,
and the sound of merrymakers.
From Jeremiah 30: 1-2, 12-15, 18-22 (NRSV)

We have two extracts from today’s reading – simply to show the contrasts we sometimes find in scripture. Some people would call them contradictions – “well, look – here is God saying people’s suffering is their own fault…so how does that square with “I am going to restore their fortunes…”?’ But scripture simply reflects real life – there are times of suffering and there are times of joy. Sometimes, our problems are our own doing – or are caused by unjust and unfair systems. Sometimes, joys seem just to happen or are the fulfilment of dreams and hard work. Both are true – and both have a place in scripture.

• • When have you felt that scripture contradicts itself?
  • How does scripture reflect the reality of most people’s lives?

Pray today for the grace to hold apparent contradictions in a creative tension.