Hope in Exile: Find Yourself

What does it mean to be God’s people in the midst of exile? Between 597-538 BCE, the people of Israel didn’t just experience exile, they were stretched and formed by their experience. They discovered perhaps in new way, who God is. It was also a time for Israel to reconceive its identity as God’s chosen people and what their purpose was. We too, like Israel are going through a time of profound dislocation, and like Israel then, this experience is stressful and traumatic. We find ourselves longing to go home to sanctuary and familiar routines. While we may not be able to change our circumstances, we can grapple with the question, “What does it mean to be the church, when we are not together as the church?” By the time we return together, we will be changed, enlarged, expanded by our experience. Our time of exile is sharpening our sense of identity, and clarify our purpose.