Jargon for God

We talk a lot about repentance and the amendment of behavior during Lent.  But what does this mean?  How, to use an inartful phrase, do we make this call operational?

One place to find an answer to these questions is Jeremiah 7:

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.”

For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.

These are words to live by, both for the church and for individuals.  Today, and in the days to come, I invite you to join me in praying over and reflecting on how we, individually and collectively, might put into practice (or operationalize for the jargon-loving amongst us!) what Jeremiah preached.

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