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Image: Anathoth (Anata), picture p. 549 in W. M. Thomson: The Land and the Book; or Biblical Illustrations Drawn from the Manners and Customs, the Scenes and Scenery of the Holy Land. Vol. II. New York, 1859.
In far western Russia, there is a monastery called Optina. Before the Russian Revolution, it was renowned as a pilgrimage site where its elders offered uniquely insightful spiritual direction. It is said that such elder took Jesus’s words, “Don’t worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34),” so seriously that he would distribute the monastery’s income to the surrounding poor rather than let it accumulate. When times were tough, he would begin capital projects to support the local population, even if it meant the monastery was short of bread.
However, when the communists took control, the elders knew that the monastery’s days were numbered. While monasteries had suffered repression before by tsars and bishops afraid of their influence, communism was another animal altogether. It was (and is) explicitly hostile to all forms of religious belief. During this turmoil, knowing that the future was bleak, the elders are said to have prayed this little prayer every morning:
O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy holy Will. At every hour of this day, direct and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and the firm conviction that all is subject to Thy holy Will.
Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down from Thee. Grant that I may deal straightforwardly and wisely with every member of my family, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone.
O Lord, grant me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive, and to love. Amen.
Imagine what it would be like to stare death in the face like they did, and to pray this prayer that affirms “all is subject to Thy holy Will” and “all is sent down by Thee”. Can we imagine having that level of trust? Can we imagine being able to accept things as they happen with calm souls? I have a hard time accepting being in a crowd at Target! It is humbling to hear the story of those brave souls and what they had to suffer.
But there are stories in the Bible that are similar. Much of the prophetic corpus, particularly Jeremiah and Ezekiel, deals with loss of hope. And today’s story from Jeremiah is no exception. The situation is hopeless. Nebuchadnezzar and his armies surround Jerusalem. People are dying of hunger; disease runs rampant. It is extremely difficult to get in or out. The economy has collapsed; there is little trade. Which is why this story about Hanamel offering his cousin Jeremiah the right of redemption on a piece of land seems so ridiculous on the surface. What use does Jeremiah have for such land? Not only will he never see it, he has no one to leave it to. Back in chapter 16, God forbade Jeremiah from marrying and having children as a sign of the coming disaster. Besides, the Babylonian armies have also rampaged through much of the countryside, so it’s not like it could really be worked. Even if he could get to the land and it could be worked, much of its produce would go to Babylon’s soldiers. The imprisoned Jeremiah has the offer to buy a useless piece of land using useless money that he will never work or leave title to.
Yet, in the purchase of this land is a sign of hope for a future not only unseen, but unimaginable. God promises, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”
Most of us can think of times we didn’t have much hope for the future. During COVID, I visited my home congregation. One of the members said we would never see the end of the pandemic. Last year, when Abby ended up in the hospital and Tom died, I often felt like I was in a never-ending loop of waiting for the next terrible thing to happen. Some days I still feel like that. When we’re in the middle of something bad, we can wonder if it will ever end. Maybe you’re at such a time right now.
But today, we have a word of hope and word of invitation. And that word of hope doesn’t fail. It can’t because it doesn’t originate in this decaying realm. It originates in God, the Father, Son, and Spirit, who loves us so much that the Son became human for our sake. God the Son, Jesus the Messiah, suffered, died, and rose again so that we could have lasting, gospel hope.
We know there are plenty of things we could have hope in. And we know that all those things are liable to failure. Social security, 401ks, housing values, family, the nation, the world, religious and civic leaders, the Minnesota Vikings…the list goes on and on! And I want to point out that it’s not bad to have hope in most of these things. The problem is when these hopes become our ultimate hope. And our ultimate hope can only rest in Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the life of the world.
And that’s where the invitation comes in. After his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus’s disciples come across him talking to her. Of course, they are shocked by this, as it flouts all kinds of social conventions. After the woman leaves, they urge him to eat, to which Jesus responds, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” Of course, this isn’t literal food. Jesus is referring to his mission, which “is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work”. That work has had a lot of forerunners who have done a lot of the hard work without enjoying the fruits of their labors, at least in this life. These forerunners include Jeremiah. And so, the disciples and us are invited to complete their labors. To reap where they have sown. Now, in this age in which so many feel hopeless, we’re called to live out our hope in Him who gives us lasting hope, Jesus Christ, so that others may have that hope, too. This hope is not dependent on anyone or anything else. It is not dependent on the stock market, the weather, or world events. It is only in Jesus Christ, who has called and claimed us to be His own.
So when we feel hopeless, God help us remember where true hope, gospel hope, really lies—in Jesus Christ. Amen.
© 2025, David M. Fleener. Permission granted to copy and adapt original material herein for non-commercial purposes with appropriate credit given.
