Jeremiah 40:9-10
“Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, promised them and their men, ‘You have nothing to fear from the Chaldean officials. Stay here on the land. Be subject to the king of Babylon. You’ll get along just fine. My job is to stay here in Mizpah and be your advocate before the Chaldeans when they show up. Your job is to take care of the land: Make wine, harvest the summer fruits, press olive oil. Store it all in pottery jugs and settle into the towns that you have taken over.’”
“Gedaliah vowed to them that the Babylonians meant them no harm. ‘Don’t be afraid to serve them. Live in the land and serve the king of Baylon, and all will go well for you’ he promised. ‘As for me, I will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to meet with us. Settle in the towns you have taken and live off the land. Harvest the grapes and summer fruits and olives, and store them away.’”
Israel’s land was in ruins, the aristocracy and intelligentsia taken into exile, but God did not abandon those left behind. He provided a good ruler for them who gave good advice; submit to Babylon, get busy and farm the land. The implication was they would be around to enjoy the harvest. He also promised to be their advocate before the Babylonian king, a foreshadowing of Christ as our advocate before God the Father. We may forget to take care of thing on the edges but not God. He sees and cares for everyone, whoever and wherever they are.
Lord, I can always trust you to pick up the pieces of my disasters and put me back together again, just as you did for Israel. And yet I am just a speck of dust in the universe, and you care for all the other specks the same. How amazing, and wonderful you are!