"This is what the Lord says: "I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved Me and followed Me through the wilderness through a land not sown." (Jeremiah 2:2 NIV)
My daughter, Sarah, set the latter part of this scripture to me via text a few weeks ago. Immediately, the empty fields of an Iowa winter unfurled in my mind. See, after harvest, the farmers till the soil, turning it over while it’s still dry. Extra effort in autumn makes way for an easier spring.
Winter settling in is a lonely sight. Empty acres make the soul ache. The winds pick up and the color falls away. Shades of brown give way to grey, with months of sleet and snow in tow. By late November, the previously rich landscape is stark; grey on grey with interruptions of starkest white.
Today I came across this verse of my own accord. I was taken aback by the bride reference and her devotion. I, too, was a young bride long ago. I can recall running after God into unsown fields. It’s more taxing as a middle-aged woman, decades into this union, living through yet another reset.
Brides leave the land and life they know for the unsown promise of matrimony. They follow their groom wherever he wills. Pilgrim brides faced an ocean and an unknown continent. Pioneer brides braved the Oregon Trail. Mail order brides signed on for an unknown groom in an unseen culture.
You and I are at a great advantage: our Groom has impeccable credentials. He is trustworthy. Kind. Strong. Affluent. Sovereign. Merciful. When we follow Him into fields unsown, we are going with a good God who is fully committed to His bride, even in the wilderness, even in winter.
Sometimes marriage gets harder before it gets better. Our devotion wavers. Our trust flags. Our hearts are tempted to wander. Keeping a union aflame requires the sustained efforts of both bride and groom.
Gratefully, our God and Groom remain deeply committed to His covenant. The determining factor is us. Are we still willing to follow Him into the shades of brown and grey? Will we walk with Him into fields unsown? We much prefer fields full of promise, ripe for harvest and ready for feasting. But will we go when the going is across barren land?
We’ve been singing it for weeks at church, so much so that the bridge remains lodged in my heart day and night: “Where you go, I will follow You. Follow You.” I’ve required the repeat. The commitment has been bludgeoned into my heart. This isn’t where I thought I’d be in my forties, but here we are. It’s not my plan, it’s my Groom who leads the way and I trust Him completely.
"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him." (Deuteronomy 13:4 NIV)
The way we navigate empty fields remains unchanged. We walk with our Groom wherever He goes. We remain intent on intimacy and we leave the rest in His capable hands.
Lord, we are not young brides any longer. Now we are devoted wives, committed to keeping in step with our Groom at all costs. Today we lay our plans again and we recommit to our pursuit. We are running after You into field unsown. Your presence remains our utmost desire. Keep us close as we stay on Your holy heels. Amen.