Matthew 1:11 – Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of exile to Babylon. Babylonian exile was a time of great spiritual famine for God’s people. There was no worship or singing among them. They were oppressed and suppressed. They were lonely for the Word of God and for spiritual activities. The enemies of God’s people probably thought that this was the end of the people of God. Even though the captivity was God’s plan to discipline His people, His hand of mercy was also upon them. His promises were still active for them. Outwardly it was a time of hopelessness, depression, loneliness, rejection, insecurity, pain and misery. But God was still working in and through them to fulfill His plans for them. This bracket period in the history of God’s people was a time of great revelations through His servants Daniel and others. God continued to speak to them and did not ignore them. They paid the price for disobedience and God continued to shower the abundance of His grace to them. Even during the years of captivity, the genealogy of the Messiah continued uninterrupted. It only shows that man’s unfaithfulness to God will not deter His plans and programs for and through them. It also points towards His faithfulness to His people because He is a benevolent God who has compassion over His people. So the disobedience of God’s people and their exile to a land without worship and Word would not in any way stop God from doing what He has intended to do through and for His children. The lineage of David continued and children were born in the family of Abraham, Jacob, Judah and David to keep the link going towards the Messiah. God works in our lives too in times of utter hopelessness and brings bright hope for the future.
Dear reader, are you going through a time of spiritual dryness and hopelessness? Is your experience one of loneliness, rejection and isolation? Are you friendless and depressed with dark clouds in your horizon? Perhaps you are going through it because of your own disobedience and that the Lord is chastening you. But His chastening hands are loving hands too and these were the hands which were submitted to the nails on the cross at Calvary for you. These hands will discipline you, but will not destroy you. The Lord will see to it that His plans for you will be accomplished without hindrance. He will give you hope as you see newer things happening in your life. Just as Jeconiah’s birth brought hope among God’s people even during the captivity, God is sending you signals and messages to remind you that your life is not hopeless. The bright Son will still dawn on you with His rays full of hope. These years of captivity of your circumstances, difficulties, loneliness, depression and dark clouds will soon vanish and He will refurbish your spiritual life with His Spirit who is the Spirit of Hope. His light will rekindle your life to spiritual brightness through which He will show the way forward. You will be reinstated in His path and the present bracket period will come to an end. His reservoir of faithfulness will never run dry and His fountain of loving kindness will shower blessings on you. So dear friend, cheer up! God has not given up on you. You should not be tempted to give up or quit. There is hope in the One who is the same yesterday and today and forever. The Great Conductor of music in your life will pick up the baton after the intermission and start the orchestra of your life once again and it will cause you to give glory to the Lord.
Lamentations 3: 22 & 23: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Thought for TodayNo matter how dark the cloud is, the Son will shine through it to brighten the lives of His children who patiently wait for Him.
