August 29: Lamentations

The first two chapters of Lamentations focus on the righteous "lament" of the prophet. While Jeremiah might have self-righteously separated from the judgments that Judah and Israel had received, he sympathizes with the people. Echoing Paul's thoughts in Ephesians 2, we are all "objects of wrath," but for God's amazing grace. We do not deserve forgiveness, given that we have all treasured sin in our hearts and acted upon it. Yet, by the wonderful and unspeakable mercy of Jesus Christ, His shed blood on the cross has indeed covered over our sin and made us white as snow. This mystery of grace may come to anyone who trusts wholly in Jesus for forgiveness. As Jeremiah shared in Jeremiah 29, God delights in our seeking Him.


"The Lord has rejected his altar
and abandoned his santuary.
He has handed over to the enemy
the walls of her palaces;
they have raised a shout in the house of the LORD
as on the day of an appointed feast.

"The LORD determined to tear down
the wall around the Daughter of Zion.
He stretched out a measuring line
and did not withhold his hand from destroying.
He made ramparts and walls lamet;
together they wasted away."
　

Overarching the lamentations of today's passage, we may view the sovereignty of God. He sovereignly brought upon the punishments described in today's reading and from those over the past few days. He will also be sovereign to deliver the people from the exile that they have "earned" through their disobedience and trampling on the covenant that God had set with them. As we read about foretold destruction for the other nations, we may view the repeated promise: "They they will know that I am the LORD." For the Israelites, just like the other nations surrounding them, the outpouring of God's wrath would bring further knowledge of the True King.

We are often quick to "blame" our difficult situations on other parties, perhaps even God. If we begin with an attitude of humility, we wouldn't expect smooth sailing, given the wandering tendencies of the human heart. Instead, we might look to the trials of life as opportunities for the revelation of God's glory to more people. As James offered, "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4) A complete and mature faith emerges from trials. And nothing is a disaster if it falls under the sovereignty of God.

　
QUESTIONS

1. What would your book of Lamentations read like? Those for modern-day America?

2. In what ways have you seen God more greatly glorified as a result of trials or "destruction"?