Jeremiah 30:18 (NIV)—“This is what the Lord says: “‘I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings;the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place.’”
I love visiting ruins, standing between four incomplete walls and looking up to see blue sky. Ruins tell a tale of the past, what once was. The bones of ancient churches sit abandoned in the countryside. Concrete gazebos covered in vines stand in the middle of forests. Castles crumble beside lakes and oceans. The remains of these structures signal an end.
For God’s people, ruins came with a promise of a new beginning. In Jeremiah, God promised the rebuilding of Jerusalem on top of the ruins. The ruins became the foundation for the new city where the people would sing songs of thanksgiving and rejoice, and where the people would receive honor and respect. The ruins promised a final restoration in God’s Kingdom.
I am privileged to serve a God who rebuilds on the ruins rather than leaves them to the forces of nature. He stabilizes the bones of the structure. He strips away the vines and overgrowth from walls. He sweeps away the crumbling pieces. He builds a stronger and more beautiful future on top of the past.
