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| Image by Karl Davison |
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A GREETING
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
(Psalm 25:5)
A READING
Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
(Joel 2:21-22)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that God planted.
(Psalm 104:16)
A PRAYER
Holy God as you have touched us, may we
now touch others with your love:
the oppressed and the persecuted,
crying out for the liberating touch of justice.
Touch them with your justice in us ...
for you are the source of our life and love.
- by Kathy Galloway, found in
The Flowering of the Soul: A Book of Prayers by Women,
ed. by Lucinda Vardey
VERSE OF THE DAY
And they will say,
‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden;
and the waste and desolate and ruined towns are now inhabited and fortified.’
(Ezekiel 36:35)
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| Image by Charles Fred |
In today’s reading, God is speaking directly to the soil of the earth and the creatures of the fields, promising that after a time of great challenge, they will once again experience abundance. Part of how the God of the prophets showed mercy on God’s people was to promise that God will manifest elements that would assist in the work of agriculture.
Right now in southern Lebanon, however, a combination of economic hardship and the continuing threat of war, alongside changes in crop productivity due to climate change, has led to a decline in farming life and in turn the wellbeing of the people. Projects like Buzuruna Juzuruna (see below) are helping to create some longer term sustainability within the chaos.
The cedars of Lebanon are one of the most prolific trees of the bible, significant for assisting in establishing relationships of trade in communities. These trees provided the foundation of many massive construction projects in the ancient world, including Solomon's Temple. They are fragrant and woody and were also known for their healing qualities: the bark was used for ritual cleansing in the recovery from leprosy. Throughout the bible they are evoked for their impressive strength and durability, and metaphorically this was extended to the people.
The Lebanese Christmas carol Laylat al Milad tells us that it will be Christmas when hatred and war have ended, when people have what they need to eat and “creation flourishes.” How much does it challenge us to imagine making such a statement about Christmas in our own lives? How can we be challenged to measure the meaning of Christmas through the restoration and health of all people and creatures around us?
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A STORY OF SEEDS
Buzuruna Juzuruna ("our seeds are our roots") is an agroecological collective in Southern Lebanon where, as a result of the current war on Gaza, the border between Syria and Lebanon has been continuously bombed since September. Traditional crossing routes that carry important trade in produce both into and out of Lebanon have been destroyed, preventing trucks from leaving or entering. Farmers and others have traditionally relied on these trade routes. Although much of Lebanon's agricultural industry relies on hybrid one-time only seeds, the seed library stores heirloom seeds which are self-sustaining. The seed library is designed for fast evaculation, in the case that it is bombed, and like the Gaza seedlings in Monday's story, have been dispersed to many other farms to help make sure they survive. (Source)
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| Caption on original photo in article linked here and above: "A local variety of cranberry beans stored in Buzuruna Juzuruna’s seed library [Philippe Pernot/Al Jazeera]" |
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LC† Seeds of Hope is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!