I realized again that all this talk of Babylon must be getting old. Then I realized that the story of Exodus never gets old for the Jews - it is always present and new. Again from Brueggemann.
The variety of texts exhibits the ways in which the tremendous expansiveness of "Babylon" continues to feed and evoke the imagination of faithful Jews. They consistently recognized and affirmed both that the world of imperial power is a dangerous place and that the reality of the hidden rule of YHWH is more than competent to override the rapacious, exploitative claims of Babylon. The world in which both Babylonians and Jews must live is a dangerous world. It is, however, a dangerous world in which "help is on the way" that permits Jews to live a viable, safe, faithful life of mercy and righteousness. The imaginative capacity of these texts continues to insist that Babylon is at best penultimate in a world governed by YHWH. This is indeed "critical realism," realism about empire, but realism that does not give in.
"Help is on the way!" That is a call to life - I love it. In the middle of everything that can and does go wrong and is broken, help is on the way - the present situation is not the end. This is always meant to be the power we take into the day at hand. Our story tells us what is not readily available as we look around our world. It is what takes us beyond what is and calls forth from us the life that we say is on the way. We are encouraged to live as though the help that is coming is beginning to have an impact on the help we become in the midst of the communities of our life. Therefore, as Jew or as followers of Jesus, we are free to begin shaping our lives with acts of mercy, reconciliation, forgiveness, justice and the love that dismantles all the powers of the world. Hey - help is on the way!
Connection: When help is on the way, even the most frightened people are able to step up and act within God's gracious reigning power. That is called faithfulness.
Again, through stories you call us into new life today, O God. Knowing you are on the way is the empowerment of our lives. It is as we hear of your coming - again - that we are lifted up to fully be your beloved in life. We give you thanks. Amen.
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