Friends,

I have been struck lately by how often I am hearing from people feeling forlorn, or wondering "where is God?" in the midst of so much hardship currently facing our world. 

I recently came across an article by our former Bishop that I remembered from my college days, during a period where I felt similar unrest in my own life.  I share it here in the hopes that it not only comforts you, but encourages you to look up and remember you are not alone!

Love and Peace,

Ethan

"Thus says the Lord God: 'Although I have cast them far off among the gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone"' (Ezekiel 11: 16).

This prophecy was spoken during a particularly dark time in the history of Israel, a time which would symbolize for us a stage of unhappiness or emptiness. Long gone were the days of King David and King Solomon, the golden age of Israel. Their wealth had been lost, their cities were in ruin. Not only did they not have their independence, but they had been uprooted from their homes and carried away to other parts of the expanding empire of Babylon. Some of them had fled to Egypt, others to neighboring countries. Truly the people of Israel had been "scattered" as the Lord said. A stronger nation had overcome them.

In terms of their covenant with Jehovah their God, it appeared to be over. He had promised to preserve them in the land of Canaan in exchange for their obedience and worship, but that land was now occupied by their enemies. Certainly the Lord did not want the Israelites to suffer as they were, because He doesn't delight in warfare and punishments. And yet that is where the Israelites found themselves: feeling punished because of their choices, and attributing those punishments to their God.

And yet, if we look closely, the Lord had not given up on those Israelites. He allowed them to feel the consequences of their choices, but He said, "I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone" (Ezekiel 11: 16). In effect He said, "I will still be with them, preserving them, and leading them." He went on to say, just one verse later, "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 11: 17).

Even after all the many times the Israelites had failed to keep the Lord's commandments, even though they had disregarded the many prophets whom the Lord had sent to warn them, still He worked with them, to give them another chance to return. Their national sanctuary, the temple in Jerusalem, was no longer available to them, but the Lord promised to be "a little sanctuary" for them in the countries where they had been scattered. What an amazing reflection of Divine mercy!

Here we see a powerful example of how the Lord leads us in this world, caring for our eternal welfare as His primary goal. A consequence of that is that we are permitted to face some difficulties in this life. The message for us today is that He never leaves us. He cares so much about getting us to heaven that He works with us every single moment to help us get there. The Lord is always with us as "a little sanctuary," leading us out of those unpleasant states and preserving us in everything that happens to us!