Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord: (Jeremiah 33:11 ESV)
Fairy Tales
Modern fairy tales have happy endings. But when folk first told those tales, the endings were not happy at all. Grandma did not make it out of the Big Bad Wolf’s tummy. Hansel and Gretal fought a cannibal. And Cinderella is a story of revenge, with terrible merciless punishment, and Cindy being worse to her stepsisters than they were to her.
But readers and listeners need happy endings. And so the stories changed. The Grimm brothers would hardly recognize them today.
But God plans a happy ending for His people. Jeremiah preached to people who had forgotten God, and therefore lost hope. But Jeremiah does not just say, “hang in there… remember these things are in cycles.” Jeremiah does not just say, “let’s choose a better King, THEN the economy will improve!” Jeremiah does not just say, “some day, your Prince will come…”
Jeremiah promises a happy ending. Because of God’s power, plans, and love. HE will bring peace. HE will bring prosperity. HE will bring mercy. HE will bring a restoration of God’s people to Himself.
And He promises here, that in the end, God’s people will again have mirth. Which is laughter… the right kind.
The end of our story is laughter.
And while that end of course refers to eternity in heaven… it also gives us hope for today.
Christ has come. And in the Church, there can be people, not empty pews. Christ has come. And in the Church, there can be thankful singing, not dirges. Christ has come. And in the Church, there can be laughter… like at a fun wedding.
When we focus on Christ, our happy ending has already begun. It’s better than a fairy tale.