God Showed Me Two Baskets of Figs

This meditation is based on a passage for April 11, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Jeremiah 24:1-10

Reflection and Question: Jeremiah uses the very tactile example of good figs and bad figs to bring home God’s judgment on the scattered Jews, those in exile in Babylon and those who stayed in Jerusalem. I find it striking that God does judge clearly between the group that pleases and the group that does not. Jeremiah, with God’s direction, explains what the figs mean. Jeremiah was persecuted in his day. It was only through time that the Jewish community recognized the truth in Jeremiah’s preaching, placing it in the Bible. How do you distinguish what are good figs, bad figs and truth?

Prayer: Great God, the Holy One of Israel, set Your eyes upon us for good, we pray. Build us up. Give us a heart to know that You are God so that we may be Your people. With all the ability we have, we return to You with our whole heart. Amen.