God speaks through Jeremiah to a devastated and disheartened Israel. Jerusalem is under siege, terror reigns, thousands have died, hope is gone. “Surely the days are coming . . . when I will execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

God, are you really sure? I daresay the world has not seen much justice and righteousness, at least not enough to warrant the word “surely.” “Perhaps” might be a better word, or wouldn’t that be something if “maybe” were a more apt phrase. Surely not “surely”!

What are we to do? Because I’m not seeing it happen. Ah, but this may be the key. When we don’t see good things happening (justice and righteousness across the land), it slowly and quietly erodes our imagination. As Proverbs reminds us, only when we lose our vision and discard our imagination, do we perish. We become like Jerusalem under siege. Perhaps we should imagine justice and righteousness sweeping across the land! Wouldn’t it be something if we woke up to this vision every morning and then did our part, however large or small, to make it happen? Might we then hear God’s word surely?