Return to the Lord your God

by Robert Mohns

Several years ago, I spent about three months walking across the northern part of Spain. I left behind my family and friends, work, a familiar way of life, and all my possessions (save for a change of clothes and a few necessities), to walk in the countryside of the northern Iberian Peninsula. For three months, I was disconnected from the world as I had known it. I was a foreigner, an alien in a strange, far-away land.

It was not until about a hundred kilometers away from my terminus and a few days left of walking that I began to realize just how firmly this disconnected way of life had taken hold of me. At first, it was just a small walnut sized knot of tension in the pit of my stomach. As the impending return to my former way and place of life loomed ever larger, so did the level of anxiety.

I was the same person I had always been and yet I had changed. My former way of life was the same as it had always been. The same family and friends and work awaited my return, and yet they were different too. I found it difficult to plug in again.

Perhaps you know what I mean. You have been living fifteen or eighteen months or so in an isolation bubble under the restrictions of COVID-19. It has been a time in which many have been disconnected from a familiar way of life, from family and friends, from work, and from church.

But now restrictions are lifting. Family and friends are awaiting you and so is your church. You are still you, and yet you have changed and so have the once familiar patterns of your life. Your family and friends are still the family and friends they always have been, but they are not the same either. Your church is still the same church located at the same address, but perhaps you sense a difference there, too. Perhaps you are feeling a little anxious and worried about how to plug in again.

I have found great comfort in reading through parts of Scripture about the return of the people of Israel from exile. My most cherished book is Zechariah, whom Luther called one of the most comforting prophets.

Plugging back in was not easy for the people of Israel when they returned from exile. I am sure that a great load of worry accompanied those walkers returning home. What would await them? What would they do when they got there?

The prophet Haggai, a contemporary of Zechariah, lays out a brutally honest picture of God’s people fumbling and failing as they tried to plug in without God. It did not go well. He calls them to consider their ways. Zechariah’s message, which follows, is replete with God’s patient calling to Israel to return to Him. Zechariah bears witness to God’s gracious actions to protect His people against enemies who would attack their vulnerabilities. It tells of His correcting and disciplining words and actions, lest in their sinful flesh they would fall away.

What they discovered was not “what” would await them, but “who” would await them. Yes, it was God their faithful God who awaited their return.

Like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, the people returned home to the waiting arms of their heavenly Father. He would dwell with them. It was He who would plug them in and reconnect them to Himself and to one another. He would start from the inside out. He would purify them. According to His mercy, He would forgive sin and remove their guilt and shame. He would send them His beloved Saviour, who would be both their king and shepherd. And not only theirs, but the Saviour of all peoples—from every tribe and nation and language.

Israel did not need to worry about what lay ahead of them. God prepared in advance work for them to do. The people would work from the outside in. They would rebuild the walls of the city and reconstruct the temple.

When you struggle to plug in, you will find your comfort and hope in the Words of God once delivered to your ancient brothers and sisters. I encourage you to read and listen to and meditate on God’s Word.

In all our rush to get going again and in all our panic to get back to doing what we need to do, it is easy for us to repeat the tragic choices of our ancient brothers and sisters and forget God. With the prophet Haggai, I ask you to consider again.

Friend, it’s not “what” awaits you. It is “who.” It is your heavenly Father who awaits you. He has you. You do not need to fret about plugging in. God is at work to plug you in. He is working from the inside out, purifying you and preparing you for the great day of His return, when the promise given to St. John will be fulfilled (Revelation 21:2-3). You do not need to fret about how to plug in, either. God has already prepared work in advance for you to plug into (Ephesians 2:10-22). We take our lead from St. Paul, who urged Christians to be built up in their most holy faith (Colossians 2:7; Jude 1:20) and to help to build up others (Romans 14:19. 15:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).

God grant us ears to hear His invitation to return to Him, and, by the working of His Spirit, to live our lives according to the grace and mercy He bears for His people in Christ Jesus.

If you notice that you are having unusual levels of anxiety about returning to church, please talk to your pastor.

Rev. Robert Mohns is Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)'s West Regional Pastor.