One of these days … It is something most of us have said at one time or another. It is also something the ancient Hebrew prophets would say. Isaiah said “In the days to come” (Isaiah 2:2). Jeremiah said “The days are surely coming” (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 38). Their words look beyond what is to what will be. They point beyond the present situation to the future that God is creating - with our help, of course. One of these days.
Isaiah and Jeremiah both said “one of these days” during a time of national crisis. Isaiah spoke during the uncertainty following the death of King Uzziah. His long, fifty-two year reign had been filled with prosperity and international peace. As his untested son inherited the throne, the nation of Assyria invaded and destroyed Judah’s northern neighbor Israel and, then, marched against Judah. Judah survived, but barely. She paid an exorbitant tribute annually to Assyria to avoid the same fate as Israel. Jeremiah’s “one of these days” was spoken as the armies of Babylon overwhelmed Jerusalem, bringing about her downfall and the destruction of the Temple. In the midst of chaos and challenge, destruction and pain, both prophets looked beyond what was to what would be.
The prophets’ confidence in what would be was rooted in their deep trust in the steadfast, faithful love of the LORD. They believed the LORD’s love never wavered. They believed the LORD would never give up on them or abandon them. They believed the current crisis was not greater than the LORD’s faithful love. They believed LORD would continue to work in the midst of what was to bring about what would be.
Isaiah spoke of a time when the nations would move beyond their reliance upon war. “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4b). No more war colleges or military academies! Instead, the nations would learn to negotiate, looking to the LORD to arbitrate between them. Their energies and resources would be invested in producing goods to feed the world rather than in manufacturing implements of war (Isaiah 2:4a). One of these days we’ll learn to do things differently, Isaiah said.
Jeremiah also spoke of doing things differently. He spoke of a new way of relating to the LORD – a new covenant – that would produce different results (Jeremiah 31:31-32). God’s grace and forgiveness would replace the focus on obedience to the law, i.e., behavior (Jeremiah 31:34b). That grace and forgiveness would free us to know and relate to the LORD personally (Jeremiah 31:34). That grace and forgiveness would produce a transformation of our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). One of these days we’ll learn to do things differently, Jeremiah said.
The prophets’ words were words of hope. By looking beyond what was and pointing to what would be, these prophets encouraged the people to endure – to keep on keeping on – knowing the chaos and challenge, the pain and suffering were but for a season. Then … after this season has passed. It’s not always going to be like this. One of these days.
But hope is about more than endurance. Hope that sees what can be, what will be motivates us to work to bring about what will be, even in the midst of the chaos and challenge, the pain and suffering of what is. Hope calls us to be God’s partner in creating the time when we will do things differently.
Hope is the forward look of faith. Hope looks beyond what is to what will be because of the steadfast, faithful love of God. One of these days. We can say it because of our faith in God, because we trust God’s steadfast, faithful love.
This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday – or, if you prefer, the Reign of Christ Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It invites us to look beyond what is to what will be. It reminds us of hope - the forward look of faith - the quiet assurance of what will be but is not yet. It calls us to give ourselves anew to being God’s partner in bringing into reality what will be when we finally do things differently. After all, doing things differently has to begin sometime, somewhere. Why not with us?
Christ the King Sunday reminds us that one of these days ….
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