Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without human beings or animals’, in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without inhabitants, human or animal, there shall once more be heard the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank-offerings to the house of the Lord.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, July 18, 2025
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Grief is powerful and nonlinear. Sometimes, out of nowhere, it hits me—about my divorce, the pain of a dysfunctional marriage, etc. Especially in May, which is when I left. I think most of us experience grief of one kind or another in our lives. So many of us have lost loved ones. Experienced abuse. Witnessed traumatic events. Faced life-threatening illness, injury, or circumstances. In those dark moments and the ongoing aftermath, we can feel as though things are “a waste,” “desolate.”
God holds us in our grief and our pain. God walks with us no matter what we are going through, feeling what we feel. God promises that we will find joy again—mirth, gladness. Laughter is healing. As are music and dancing. We can hold onto hope in the midst of our grief that while it may never be wholly gone, it will abate at times, and the sun will shine in again.
What grief do I experience in my life? What does it feel like when I can once again find joy?
