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MEDITATION:

Written by Mark Woods, a contemporary pastor and head of Communications at The Bible Society.

From the eighth century BC, the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah were menaced by superpowers like Assyria and Babylon, and gradually got weaker. The northern kingdom of Israel was the first to fall – after 20 years of attacks by Assyria during which some of its people were taken into captivity, its capital Samaria fell in 722 BC. Many of the remaining people were dispersed throughout the Assyrian Empire, and others were brought in to replace them. As a nation, Israel was over. Judah lasted longer, but at the end of the seventh century, its decline began. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem in 605 BC. Repeated attempts to resist him led to repeated defeats. Large numbers of the Judeans were taken into exile in Babylon in 597 BC, 586 BC – when Jerusalem was sacked and burned – and 582 BC. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, tried to escape but was blinded after seeing his sons slaughtered (2 Kings 25.7).  For the stories of the last years of the kingdom of Judah and the Exile, read 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 35–36, and the book of Jeremiah. The book of Daniel is set during the Exile, as is Psalm 137, which begins with ‘By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion’, and the book of Ezekiel.   However, in 539 BC the Persian King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return. These stories are told in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The Exile was important for lots of reasons. It meant the temporary end of Temple worship and the sacrificial system, which meant that the people had to think about what was really important in their faith. Could they really worship God without the things that had always supported them in their believing? It also saw the emergence of real scholarship, as scribes who could understand and interpret the Hebrew Scriptures – like Ezra – grew in prestige and significance. It meant that Jews were able to survive as a nation without being attached to the geographical land of Israel. Christians have drawn on the image of Exile to express our own relationship to the world. 1 Peter 2.11 says, ‘I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world!’ Revelation 17.5 refers to ‘Babylon the Great’, the oppressive power that dominates our earthly exile. As the people of God, we’re not entirely at home in this world. But God brought the exiles home, and he has a home in heaven for us. 

PRAYER:

Written by Anne Peterson, a contemporary poet, speaker, and author.

Father God, I come before you, with gratefulness. Thank you for your promise that you will never leave us. Thank you for your touch in our lives. Lord, thank you that you hold our hands whenever we need you. Remind us of your presence, Lord. Thank you for your faithfulness. I pray this in Your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Robert Jeffries, a contemporary pastor, professor, and speaker.

We’re in exile. But most of us don’t want to admit it. We all wish, in our unsanctified moments, that this world could be our true home. We can temporarily make ourselves forget that every pursuit in life is tinged with dissatisfaction and disappointment. We hold out a vain hope that we can find true and lasting happiness in the job we have, the stuff we buy, and the friends we make. But not if we’re in exile. Exile is a constant trial. Acknowledging exile means accepting that you will never feel completely at home here. You have to let go of any wishful thoughts that we can ever turn our earthly cities into the heavenly one (Hebrews 11:10). You have to embrace a life of tension, living here but longing for heaven.

We have a remarkable example of how to live well in exile in the prophet Daniel. Babylonian forces extracted Daniel from his home. He suddenly found himself cut off from the temple worship, from the promised land, and from God’s chosen people. He was taken to the capital of the world’s leading empire and conscripted into a three-year training course in Chaldean language and literature. He was longing for Jerusalem, but he would live out his days in Babylon. You can imagine different ways Daniel might have responded to exile. He could have plotted an insurrection or tried to escape. He could have cowered in fear. He could have flown below the radar, making the compromises necessary to get along with the rest of the king’s elite circle. But Daniel chose none of these options. Daniel struck out on a more difficult path, one marked by faithful engagement. Daniel engaged with his pagan city. He spent his entire adult life serving in its government, trying to improve the daily lives of people who knew almost nothing about the true God. And yet Daniel resolved to engage faithfully. He had certain lines he wouldn’t cross, certain things he wouldn’t do. He resolved to follow God’s will in every area of his life. He resolved to stand firm. As we learn from Daniel’s life, standing firm in exile brings trials and tensions that other people don’t have to deal with…    Daniel faced a choice. He could have stood down. But he chose to stand firm. This led to a religious awakening for King Darius. He spent a restless night in prayer and fasting. When Darius discovered that Daniel’s God had delivered him from the mouths of the lions, he sent out a new decree: “in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever” (Daniel 6:26). A single man’s decision to stand firm sent shockwaves through an entire kingdom.

Daniel’s faithful stand pointed people to the true God. Like Daniel, we are in exile. Like Daniel, God is calling us to stand firm. And like Daniel, God can work through our faithful engagement to make Himself known throughout our communities, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our families. Will you stand firm? Will you model for your city, for your church, and for your family what it looks like to be a godly man? Will you endure the challenges that are sure to come?

PRAYER:

Written by Lesli White, a contemporary ministry leader and writer.

Heavenly Father, I open my heart wide to receive your love today. Please send Your healing power into my life to help me overcome the obstacles I face. I readily accept the healing power in my life, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Alan Goodman from the Village Church.

England was in shambles after WWII. With huge bombed out areas, factories destroyed, and everyone “climbing out” of a national WWII nightmare – my dad told my mom and me that we needed to get out of war-torn England to start a new life.  He moved our small family to Brisbane Australia not knowing anyone and having no job to go to. As a 12 year old, the Brisbane “suburbs” were still outback bush country in the 1940s with everything wild (not urbanized like today). We had mostly the clothes on our backs, little money, and little else in this strange land. I was rapidly introduced to lots of poisonous snakes, crocs, dingoes, large lizards, poisonous spiders, along with wild kangaroos, wallabies, cassowaries, koala bears, kookaburras, malaria-based mosquitoes, etc. – a far cry from my earlier childhood in built-up London.

We lived in a hut initially with no electricity, no water, no windows, and no sewer system in that Bush environment. Our outhouse had to be constantly checked for snakes in this sub-tropical climate to even use that facility. Even opening any outside door would bring in a swarm of insects into our living area. In those early years, I really felt like an exile. I was “out of place” with my early Australian school classmates and never felt “at home” for a long, long time. When reading about Daniel in the Bible, I can really relate to suddenly being thrust into a totally different world where you are that stranger! In looking back on life, that whole life episode was God-given for me to now be tolerant to the strangers among us. It is also what Jesus would want us to do as well. Feeling like an exile myself provided that biblical tolerance.

PRAYER:

Written by Clement of Rome (??-99), bishop of Rome and one of the first Apostolic Fathers of the church.

We beseech You, Master, to be our helper and protector. Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly; Raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly; Restore the wanderers of Your people; Feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners; Raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Richard T. Ritenbaugh, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his book “How to Survive Exile.”

God promises, “I’m going to bring you home. You will no longer be in exile. I will give you the promised land. I will give you My rest.” We have been seeking “the rest of God “‘the true Sabbath, in His Kingdom (Hebrews 4). He says He will give it to us because of His good plans in His heart for us. He wants these good things to be given to us. So, He urges us to continue on, to build our families, and to strengthen the ties between, not only within the family but with other families of His people. We are to overcome, grow, and produce fruit so that we will have the heart that will seek Him in everything. And if we can, to grow in numbers. He wants us to be increased and not diminished, if possible. He also advises us to be at peace with other men, to have the peace around us in which we can grow in righteousness and holiness and transform into His image. When we do those things, and God’s time is right, He will bring us out of our exile. But not until then. He is the one, the Master Timekeeper, and when He says it is the right time, it will be the very best time for us to come out of exile. From wherever He has scattered us, He will bring us back and settle us, giving us true rest in His Kingdom.

PRAYER:

Written by Debbie Przybylski, founder of Intercessors Arise International.

Lord, I thank You that You will answer my prayers in Your perfect timing. Reveal what is in my heart and make me ready to handle the answer in the right way when it comes. Help me to pray by faith consistently and long-term, to believe, wait, and then move forward in Your timing. Help me to be patient in prayer, not give up, and trust You even during moments when I feel negative emotions. I don’t want to live by feelings but by faith. Help me not to take matters in my own hands. I choose to trust you, and I refuse to believe the lies of the enemy. I choose to be faithful in prayer. Deepen my understanding and give me a greater knowledge of what You are doing in my life. I choose to hold unswervingly to the hope that I profess (Hebrews 10:23). Stretch my faith in the midst of the wait, just as You did with Your disciples when encountering a storm at sea. I thank You that You have all wisdom and will answer my prayers in the perfect way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Terra Pennington, a contemporary pastor.

There was grumbling. They grumbled and left. How did Jesus feel in his humanity? Did the rejection sting? No one fully knew Jesus. Did Jesus live in internal exile? No one else was like him — no one around to say, “I get it. This fully human/fully divine thing, it’s all kinds of complicated.” I recently spent time feeling “internally exiled,” away from what was familiar and doing work that was different from what others were doing. I felt that the best parts of me were often hard to see. I had grumblers. I also soon discovered a community that would come from the most surprising places. Colleagues provided a listening ear and invitations to dinner. A pastor tackled a broken system with me.  The least expected place was with a community of people who were refugees. A wise sage asked me if I felt sad. I said I feel far from everything right now. Then, realizing how much privilege I had (home was just a plane ticket away, and English was my first language), I immediately apologized. I will be fine. Then the man looked at me and said, “We are your home.” I was in the midst of the most vulnerable in our society. They embraced me with all my privilege anyway. The third day came — the women running back, the others outracing each other to get there first. Jesus had moved through internal exile via community to freedom. I have moved from my own internal exile, via finding communities in different places, and through that, on to freedom. Internal exile can be excruciating. Especially when we cannot find a community where we fit. I believe that God suffers with us. We are not alone. The Holy Spirit continues to do her work, moving us from exile to community to freedom.

PRAYER:

Written by William Wilberforce (1759-1833), a British politician, philanthropist, and leader of the movement to stop the slave trade.

Lord God, Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength and forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will: through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by David Reay, a contemporary author.

How do we sing the songs of the Lord in a strange and unwelcome land? That was what the Israelites asked when exiled in Babylon. Their temple was in ruins, they were no longer in their own God-given land. Their old way of life seemed gone forever. And to add to their despondency, their captors mocked them by insisting they sing their old familiar songs. We know from the book of Daniel that he and others like him managed to maintain their faith even in the midst of alien surroundings. God remained God, worship remained worship even though the old way of life was only a memory. We also know that those Israelites learned a thing or two in their exile. Their bitter and sad experience of defeat prompted a return to the ways of God—at least for a time. As the old saying has it, don’t let a disaster go to waste by not learning something from it. We can still sing the songs of the Lord even in exile. Places change, situations change, but our God does not. Our songs may change, but the one to whom we sing has not changed. Our service of God and his love for us does not demand a certain locality or a certain set of circumstances, helpful though these may be. Exile was not pleasant for the Israelites. But they could not just leave those harps in the poplar trees. Exile from Jerusalem was not exile from the care of God. Separation from their culture was not separation from the presence of God. The destruction of the temple did not destroy their place in the purposes of God. Exile was not the end of the story, but only one chapter in it.

PRAYER:

Written by Tiffany Montgomery, a contemporary writer.

Holy Spirit, thank you for being my shield and defender, the Lord of Hosts who fights for me and stays with me in hard times.  Forgive me for losing my first love, that fire that used to burn deep inside me driving me into your presence like a schoolgirl with her first crush.  Rekindle that fire.  Help me to long to be in Your house singing praise to You the way the Psalmist did. Remind me that You are with me in every season.  You never leave me or forsake me in hard times.  Teach me to Be Still in that truth today.  I will glorify Your Name alone Father. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Joanne Melton from the Village Church. 

When thinking about Pastor Jack’s topic of exile for the Lenten devotional, I thought I had an appropriate idea to share.  Then, on January 29, 2923, all of that changed. The Rev. Dr. Ivan Rusyn walked to the pulpit of The Village Church and graciously and humbly addressed our congregation.  His topic was the parable about “The Good Samaritan: A Ukrainian Reading  in the Light of War.”  But it was much, much more than that. You could hear the sadness in his words as he described the devastation, the ugliness of destruction, the emptiness in the eyes of his neighbors.     Despite all of that, he shared “that God always shows up where there is a problem.”  And “Jesus is present in those who offer to help, that they are like angels to them.”  Just as the Good Samaritan had done. His words, chosen so carefully, so passionately explained that in his country war had changed everything.  He asked, “How do we help?  What is our identity?”  The need to care for and love those in need came first.  As is found in Luke, “Be merciful as God is merciful.”

War is a time when you look inward.  You must personally reach into your heart and soul and say what have I to give and am I willing to give it?  It means sacrifice, and possibly the ultimate sacrifice of life. Rev. Dr. Rusyn left us with encouraging words about the people of Ukraine.  “We smile because we cried out all of our tears.  We smile because we have hope.  We ask not for peace, but for victory. We cannot be hostages of our trauma.” We can remove or exile ourselves from problems far away from us, or we can take a journey of faith and commitment to find our own way, perhaps through prayer, meditation, or study to become a Good Samaritan.

PRAYER:

Today’s prayer was written by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Lord Jesus,

You teach us in your parable that there are two kinds of people–
–those who bend down to help and those who look the other way.
Which kind of people will we be?

We say, “Yes, Lord, I will love you and love my neighbor.”
But then we ask:
The migrant… is she my neighbor?
Those in poverty…are they my neighbors?
Victims of war across the world… are they neighbors?
One who faces racism… is he my neighbor?
Those disabled or elderly… are they my neighbors?

You remind us: Yes. All of us neighbors.

Show us how to love, Lord.
May we open our eyes.
May we emerge from our comfortable isolation.
May we build a world of compassion and dignity.

Lord Jesus, who was neighbor to all,
Help us to persevere in love.
Help us to restore dignity to the suffering.

Help us to build a society based not on exclusion, but on community. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Terry Solley, a contemporary field minister caring for men on Texas death row. This is an excerpt from the book “Exiles.”

In 1995, transformation began to take place inside the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola – one of America’s bloodiest prisons. The prisoners there were blessed by a godly warden, Burl Cain, who felt responsible not just for their correction and safety, but also for their souls. Led by God, Warden Cain established the first accredited seminary inside a prison. Then something phenomenal took place: the men of Angola began to pray, not merely for themselves and their families, but for the prison where they lived. Two decades later, Angola is one of the safest prisons in the world and a glaring example of what the Lord will do when people, incarcerated, begin to seek His face for the prosperity of their place of exile.  As God commanded the Israelites to do during their seventy-year captivity in Babylon, and as the prisoners of Angola mirrored, we must seek the welfare of the “city” where we have been exiled. We must pray for the prisons where we live. When those of us inside these walls begin to pray, the impossible becomes possible: lives are transformed, men are saved, and prison culture is radically changed. If you want to see those around you saved, start praying. If you want to see the violence decline, start praying. If you want to see parents restored to their children, start praying. If you want to see God do the impossible right where you are, start praying! What happened at Angola can happen in any prison. All it takes are men and women who are bold enough to start praying. So, what are you waiting for?  Start Praying.

PRAYER:

Written by Sarah Swindall, a contemporary pastoral intern.

Heavenly Father, you are sovereign over all, giving justice and proclaiming liberty to the captive. You were with Joseph when he was imprisoned in the king’s jail. Your spirit visited Paul during his incarceration. And you sent your son, Jesus, to proclaim good news and freedom. God, we ask you to be with all those who are incarcerated today, for those living out sentences, and those awaiting trial or bail. Let your spirit of peace and comfort be upon them. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Mike Jantzen, a contemporary writer.

Guilt.  I feel its sting in the aftermath of the stupid choices I make. In those moments, it can feel like God is a thousand miles away and that he’s not interested in hearing how I’ve blown it again. I can get stuck in a catch-22, trying to clean myself up first before I talk to the only One who can actually purify me. When guilt causes us to avoid God, it turns into debilitating shame. We choose to live in self-imposed exile, forgetting that Jesus already put an end to our separation from him. Why waste time in exile when God is offering us a way back to freedom? The good news is that when we come to Jesus humbly, confessing our sins and re-centering our lives on him, he always cleanses us and sets us on the right path again. So, should we just sin whenever we want because God will always forgive us? Of course not. When we choose to sin, we whittle away the freedom Jesus died to give us. We live as though sin is still our master and we miss out on the abundant life God wants to give us. Offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom! The message of the gospel is that every day is filled with new mercies. Today is your opportunity to turn your heart away from sin and shame and look upon Jesus, who opened the way for you to trace your steps back to the cross and have a fresh start.

PRAYER:

Written by Paige Deane, a contemporary author.

Lord, the sacrifice of your son is a precious gift. I don’t deserve it, and I could never have earned it. Thank you for your grace and mercy and love to give it to me anyway. You gave up everything for me, even though you were pure and righteous, and I am full of sin. Thank you for breaking the chains that kept me in bondage to sin. Thank you for the freedom I now have in you. I want to follow your example as your disciple. Help me to also give up everything and take up my cross. I don’t want to live in slavery to my flesh, I want to embrace the freedom that you paid for with your blood. I want to pursue my relationship with you fervently, with no attachment to the things of this world, not material things, family, jobs, money, or even my life. Help me to take up my cross daily. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Roger Martin, from the Village Church.  Roger volunteers with Free to Thrive, a legal organization that supports those impacted by human trafficking.

Sarah (not her real name) grew up in an abusive household where family members regularly molested her. At the age of 14, after running away from home, she met a young man who promised to take care of her and give her a place to stay.  At first, he was very kind to her. But soon, he demanded that she pay for rent and food.  He bought her a fake ID and forced her strip and perform sex acts for customers at a local strip club each night.  During the day, he would force her to walk the West Hollywood streets. Over the next 10 years, she was arrested and charged with prostitution a half-dozen times, both as a minor and as an adult, serving time for crimes she was forced to commit.  She never would reveal her pimp’s identity to the police for fear of what he would do to her. Her shame and hopelessness isolated her from everyone.  Her criminal record prevented her from getting a job or renting an apartment herself.  She tried to leave her pimp twice, but he threatened her younger brother, so she returned to him and resigned herself to “the life.”  She was truly, inescapably in exile. In 2018, Sarah was again arrested for prostitution.  But the arresting officer knew of a faith-based safe house recovery program and diverted her to it.  Showing God’s love for her, they got her the help and support she needed to leave her pimp and vouched for her to get a job in a special work program.  Today, Sarah has completed her college degree and is working as a security guard at night.  But she is still victimized by her criminal record every time a potential employer or government agency does a background check.  A team of attorneys is currently working to get her criminal record cleared under new California laws that provide relief for survivors of sex trafficking.  Soon, with God’s help, her journey out of exile will be complete.

PRAYER:

Today’s prayer is from World Vision, an organization that works with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Dear Lord, just as You helped Moses and Aaron as they spoke boldly to Pharaoh on behalf of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, help us speak up for modern-day slaves around the world. We pray that through our actions we can help bring an end to human trafficking. Amen.

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