By David Faust
My dentist’s office is only a 15-minute drive from my house—a fact I never gave much thought until I lost a tooth during a mission trip to Romania last year. Thousands of miles from the source of relief, I gained new appreciation for my dentist’s skill and more empathy for my missionary friends who serve in remote places where dental and medical care are scarce.
In 2020 the pandemic closed church doors for several weeks, and many Christians felt sad and disconnected. Phones and Zoom meetings kept us in touch, but I missed rubbing elbows with the wise old saints, the energetic little kids, and the rest of our motley saved-by-grace crew who get together every Sunday morning.
Proximity matters. We’re designed for relationship, not remoteness—for congregating, not isolating. “Better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away” (Proverbs 27:10). Even if they aren’t relatives and they aren’t perfect, friends and neighbors are good to have around.
HOW ACCESSIBLE IS GOD?
Proximity to God matters, too. Does the Lord ever seem far away? Is he accessible when you need him? Is he available when you feel scared and alone? What if you are desperately sick in the hospital? Or locked in prison?
Because he preached God’s truth boldly and without compromise, the prophet Jeremiah endured many hardships, including being arrested and “confined in the courtyard of the guard” (Jeremiah 33:1). Although he lost his freedom, he didn’t lose access to his faithful heavenly Father. Jeremiah 33:3 has been nicknamed “God’s telephone number” because in that verse the Lord says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
BRANCHES OF THE BRANCH
Jeremiah lived in depressing and dangerous times, but he foresaw a joyous future for God’s covenant people. Better days were ahead. In the future God would “make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land” (Jeremiah 33:15). Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled this messianic prophecy about “a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely” (Jeremiah 23:5).
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus, the Righteous Branch, called his disciples branches, too? He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
We use the word branch for a stem that extends from a plant or tree, but it also can describe a river’s tributary or the subdivision of a business. Banks, stores, and restaurants expand their reach by establishing branch offices where they conduct business on behalf of the company. Branch offices wear the parent company’s name and brand, and they are accountable to the corporate headquarters, but their smaller sizes and convenient locations make the businesses more accessible to the public.
The kingdom of heaven has branch offices, too. The Righteous Branch keeps branching out! All over the world, Christ extends his ministry through ordinary people wherever his disciples gather and serve. At times, our local congregations might appear small, weak, and unimpressive, but God sees things differently. Our churches, small groups, and Christian families are branch offices of heaven, making God’s love accessible to those who need him.
Personal Challenge: Would people in your community be surprised to learn that your local church is a branch office of heaven? Why, or why not? What steps could you take this week to strengthen your personal connection to the Branch (Jesus Christ)?
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