Baruch 1:1-9: a reflection

1These are the words of the book which Baruch the son of Nerias, the son of Maaseas, the son of Sedekias, the son of Asadias, the son of Helkias, wrote in Babylon, 2in the fifth year, in the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire. 3Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jechonias the son of Joakim king of Judah, and in the hearing of all the people who came to hear the book, 4and in the hearing of the mighty men, and of the kings’ sons, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, from the least to the greatest, even of all those who lived at Babylon by the river Sud. 5Then they wept, fasted, and prayed before the Lord. 6They also made a collection of money according to every man’s ability; 7and they sent it to Jerusalem to Joakim the high priest, the son of Helkias, the son of Salom, and to the priests and to all the people who were found with him at Jerusalem, 8at the same time when he took the vessels of the house of the Lord, that had been carried out of the temple, to return them into the land of Judah, the tenth day of Sivan—silver vessels which Sedekias the son of Josias king of Judah had made, 9after Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried away Jechonias, the princes, the captives, the mighty men, and the people of the land from Jerusalem, and brought them to Babylon.

When Baruch's book is read aloud to the exiles in Babylon, their response is worth noticing, because it moves from heart to hands. First they wept, fasted, and prayed before the Lord; their hearts were moved to genuine repentance and sorrow. But they did not stop at feeling. They also made a collection of money according to every man's ability, and sent it to Jerusalem for the worship of God there. Their repentance moved from heartfelt sorrow into concrete action, from weeping to giving, from prayer to practical deeds.

Notice how the exiles' response combined heartfelt repentance with practical action. They wept, fasted, and prayed; their response was genuinely from the heart, not mere outward form. But it did not remain only feeling; it moved into action, a collection taken, help sent, practical steps toward restoring the worship of God. Their repentance was both heartfelt and active, both inward sorrow and outward deed. They did not let genuine feeling substitute for action, nor action substitute for genuine feeling; they had both.

That combination, heartfelt repentance that moves into action, is worth learning, for we can have one without the other. We can have feeling without action, being genuinely moved, weeping and praying, but never doing anything about it; or action without heart, going through motions without genuine sorrow. But the exiles had both: they wept and prayed, and they acted, giving and sending help. When you are genuinely moved to repentance or to respond to God, do not let the feeling remain only feeling; let it move into action, as the exiles moved from weeping to giving. Genuine repentance and response to God involve both the heart and the hands, both sorrow and deeds. Let your heartfelt response to God move into concrete action, as the exiles wept and prayed and then took up a collection and sent help, not letting feeling substitute for doing, but joining genuine sorrow to real deeds.

Lord, when Baruch's book was read aloud to the exiles in Babylon, their response moved from heart to hands. First they wept, fasted, and prayed before you; their hearts were moved to genuine repentance. But they did not stop at feeling. They also made a collection according to every man's ability, and sent it to Jerusalem for your worship there. Their repentance moved from heartfelt sorrow into concrete action. Show me how their response combined heartfelt repentance with practical action. They wept, fasted, and prayed; their response was genuinely from the heart. But it did not remain only feeling; it moved into action, help sent, practical steps toward restoring your worship. They did not let genuine feeling substitute for action, nor action substitute for genuine feeling; they had both. Help me learn that combination, for I can have one without the other. I can have feeling without action, being genuinely moved but never doing anything about it; or action without heart, going through motions without genuine sorrow. But the exiles had both. When I am genuinely moved to repentance or to respond to you, keep me from letting the feeling remain only feeling; let it move into action, as the exiles moved from weeping to giving. Genuine repentance involves both the heart and the hands. Let my heartfelt response to you move into concrete action, Lord, not letting feeling substitute for doing, but joining genuine sorrow to real deeds.