Short Reflection from Lamentations 1-5

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (OVU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[10:34 pm, 09/03/2022] S.R: 𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝟙:𝟙𝟞

"For these things I weep; My eyes run down with water; Because far from me is a comforter, One who restores my soul. My children are desolate Because the enemy has prevailed."

A godly man weeps over the sins of the people. Wicked people curse upon those whom they think are wicked!

If we are righteous and godly like Jeremiah, we will weep for sinners.

 

𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝟚:𝟙𝟞

"All your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, ‘We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day for which we waited; We have reached it, we have seen it.’"

This is what happens to a Christian who keeps sinning because the way of a transgressor is hard (Prov.13:15) because God disciplines whom He loves, and I love that God disciplines me whenever I go astray.

You must be so wicked to hate God. You must be a hell-bound sinner if you get angry with God when He disciplines you. I may hate the pain and the instrument God uses to discipline me but not God.

 

𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝟛:𝟙𝟠

"So I say, 'My strength has perished, And so has my hope from the LORD.'"

Was there a time you ever felt or said like this? I had. But it didn't end like this for Jeremiah nor for me. This chapter has 66 verses. This is just v18. 😉

In v21, he would recall God and have hope again. And by v55-56 he would call on God and the Lord answered him.

The Christian life is up and down from our perspective. But in the grand scheme of God, we are being sanctified more and more as the day goes by.

 

𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝟜:𝟙𝟟

"Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save."

Jeremiah's lamentation like this gives hope to the disappointed ones. That disappointment is both for the wicked and even the people of God. And that God shall be the solution soon or later

 

𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝟝:𝟚𝟙

"Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old"

Notice the theology of Jeremiah. Restoration is primarily to God. Only then the physical restoration would happen!

Bible Reading Reflection from Lamentations 1-5

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC), a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕃𝔸𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 𝟙:𝟚

"She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies."

An irresponsible person may read this and think that it's written about a woman or may even send this verse to one. Well, it's about Jerusalem personified as a hapless woman. Terrible is the judgment against her. But how merciful it is that she doesn't perish but is given enough time and perfect circumstances to think through her ways! That's our God. Though He judges He gives us enough time and a perfect environment to reconsider our ways.

But the hardened sinners like in the book of Revelation shall keep on cursing God and never repent before God! Blessed is the one who is hurt, humbled, and comes to God in contrite spirit.

 

𝕃𝔸𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 𝟚:𝟚𝟘

"See, O LORD, and look! With whom have You dealt thus? Should women eat their offspring, The little ones who were born healthy? Should priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord?"

If God brought such things to His people Israel, would not He be more severe to the godless people?

We haven't seen such a scale of depravity in our generation or few before. But it shouldn't surprise us if such thing happens again. Our world is always ripe for judgment. God somehow chooses to delay His judgment so that many would repent and not go through it.

 

𝕃𝔸𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 𝟛:𝟚𝟙-𝟚𝟛

"This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."

I guess most Christians remember Lamentations for this passage. Indeed, a passage of hope in the Lamentations. It shines brightest in the middle of Lamentations.

It's not by complaining our sorrows are dispersed, it's by contemplating the compassion of God.

God has always been merciful, graceful, and good to us. Yes, always. We deserve nothing but the wrath of God. Yet God has given us air, water, and food; sunshine and rain; the gift of life, marriage, and family; and above all the gift of eternal life!

Great is God's faithfulness towards us, the faithless, unfaithful people!

 

𝕃𝔸𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 𝟜:𝟚𝟙-𝟚𝟚

"Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz; But the cup will come around to you as well, You will become drunk and make yourself naked. The punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins!"

There's indeed a time for everything. Punishment and Restoration.

Disobedience will always lead to punishment and punishment will ultimately lead to repentance to obedience which in turn will lead to restoration. God is great. Everything is in His control.

However, the sarcasm used against Edom is funny and serious indeed! Prophets love sarcasm.

 

𝕃𝔸𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 𝟝:𝟚𝟙-𝟚𝟚

"Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old, Unless You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly angry with us."

Jeremiah ended his lamentation with a prayer for restoration. He prayed so because he knew God would not leave unfinished what He started. God is not a man to give up. Nothing is too difficult for Him.