(Lamentations 1:1-22)
How lonely sits the city
That once had many people!
She has become like a widow
Who was once great among the nations!
She who was a princess among the provinces
Has become a forced laborer!
2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
And her tears are on her cheeks;
She has no one to comfort her
Among all her lovers.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile out of affliction
And harsh servitude;
She lives among the nations,
But she has not found a resting place;
All those who pursued her have overtaken her
In the midst of distress.
4 The roads of Zion are in mourning
Because no one comes to an appointed feast.
All her gates are deserted;
Her priests groan,
Her virgins are worried,
And as for Zion herself, it is bitter for her.
5 Her adversaries have become her masters,
Her enemies are secure;
For the Lord has caused her grief
Because of the multitude of her wrongdoings;
Her little ones have gone away
As captives led by the enemy.
6 All of her splendor
Is gone from the daughter of Zion;
Her leaders have become like deer
That have found no pasture,
And they have fled without strength
From the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and homelessness
Jerusalem remembers all her treasures
That were hers since the days of old,
When her people fell into the hand of the adversary
And no one helped her.
The adversaries saw her,
They laughed at her ruin.
8 Jerusalem sinned greatly,
Therefore she has become an object of ridicule.
All who honored her despise her
Because they have seen her nakedness;
Even she herself groans and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her garment’s seams;
She did not think of her future.
So she has fallen in an astonishing way;
She has no comforter.
“See, Lord, my affliction,
For the enemy has honored himself!”
10 The adversary has stretched out his hand
Over all her precious things,
For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary,
The ones whom You commanded
That they were not to enter Your congregation.
11 All her people groan, seeking bread;
They have given their treasures for food
To restore their lives.
“See, Lord, and look,
For I am despised.”
12 “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way?
Look and see if there is any pain like my pain
Which was inflicted on me,
With which the Lord tormented me on the day of His fierce anger.
13 From the height He sent fire into my bones,
And it dominated them.
He has spread a net for my feet;
He has turned me back;
He has made me desolate,
Faint all day long.
14 The yoke of my wrongdoings is bound;
By His hand they are woven together.
They have come upon my neck;
He has made my strength fail.
The Lord has handed me over
To those against whom I am not able to stand.
15 The Lord has thrown away all my strong men
In my midst;
He has called an appointed time against me
To crush my young men;
The Lord has trodden as in a wine press
The virgin daughter of Judah.
16 For these things I weep;
My eyes run down with water;
Because far from me is a comforter,
One to restore my soul.
My children are desolate
Because the enemy has prevailed.”
17 Zion stretches out with her hands;
There is no one to comfort her;
The Lord has commanded regarding Jacob
That those around him become his adversaries;
Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
18 “The Lord is righteous,
For I have rebelled against His command;
Hear now, all peoples,
And see my pain;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.
19 I called to my lovers, but they deserted me;
My priests and my elders perished in the city
While they sought food to restore their strength themselves.
20 See, Lord, for I am in distress;
My spirit is greatly troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword has made women childless;
In the house it is like death.
21 They have heard that I groan;
There is no one to comfort me,
All my enemies have heard of my disaster;
They are joyful that You have done it.
Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed,
So that they will become like me.
22 May all their wickedness come before You;
And deal with them just as You have dealt with me
For all my wrongdoings.
For my groans are many and my heart is faint.”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
She has become like a widow
Who was once great among the nations!
She who was a princess among the provinces
Has become a forced laborer!
2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
And her tears are on her cheeks;
She has no one to comfort her
Among all her lovers.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile out of affliction
And harsh servitude;
She lives among the nations,
But she has not found a resting place;
All those who pursued her have overtaken her
In the midst of distress.
4 The roads of Zion are in mourning
Because no one comes to an appointed feast.
All her gates are deserted;
Her priests groan,
Her virgins are worried,
And as for Zion herself, it is bitter for her.
5 Her adversaries have become her masters,
Her enemies are secure;
For the Lord has caused her grief
Because of the multitude of her wrongdoings;
Her little ones have gone away
As captives led by the enemy.
6 All of her splendor
Is gone from the daughter of Zion;
Her leaders have become like deer
That have found no pasture,
And they have fled without strength
From the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and homelessness
Jerusalem remembers all her treasures
That were hers since the days of old,
When her people fell into the hand of the adversary
And no one helped her.
The adversaries saw her,
They laughed at her ruin.
8 Jerusalem sinned greatly,
Therefore she has become an object of ridicule.
All who honored her despise her
Because they have seen her nakedness;
Even she herself groans and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her garment’s seams;
She did not think of her future.
So she has fallen in an astonishing way;
She has no comforter.
“See, Lord, my affliction,
For the enemy has honored himself!”
10 The adversary has stretched out his hand
Over all her precious things,
For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary,
The ones whom You commanded
That they were not to enter Your congregation.
11 All her people groan, seeking bread;
They have given their treasures for food
To restore their lives.
“See, Lord, and look,
For I am despised.”
12 “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way?
Look and see if there is any pain like my pain
Which was inflicted on me,
With which the Lord tormented me on the day of His fierce anger.
13 From the height He sent fire into my bones,
And it dominated them.
He has spread a net for my feet;
He has turned me back;
He has made me desolate,
Faint all day long.
14 The yoke of my wrongdoings is bound;
By His hand they are woven together.
They have come upon my neck;
He has made my strength fail.
The Lord has handed me over
To those against whom I am not able to stand.
15 The Lord has thrown away all my strong men
In my midst;
He has called an appointed time against me
To crush my young men;
The Lord has trodden as in a wine press
The virgin daughter of Judah.
16 For these things I weep;
My eyes run down with water;
Because far from me is a comforter,
One to restore my soul.
My children are desolate
Because the enemy has prevailed.”
17 Zion stretches out with her hands;
There is no one to comfort her;
The Lord has commanded regarding Jacob
That those around him become his adversaries;
Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
18 “The Lord is righteous,
For I have rebelled against His command;
Hear now, all peoples,
And see my pain;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.
19 I called to my lovers, but they deserted me;
My priests and my elders perished in the city
While they sought food to restore their strength themselves.
20 See, Lord, for I am in distress;
My spirit is greatly troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword has made women childless;
In the house it is like death.
21 They have heard that I groan;
There is no one to comfort me,
All my enemies have heard of my disaster;
They are joyful that You have done it.
Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed,
So that they will become like me.
22 May all their wickedness come before You;
And deal with them just as You have dealt with me
For all my wrongdoings.
For my groans are many and my heart is faint.”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
How typical that people will sin, because it feels good in the moment, but rarely consider the consequences that they will face in their future (near or far). As well, they rarely stop to think about who they are going to hurt in the process. And they certainly avoid wondering how they are hurting themselves. And then when one realizes how much they are hurting, they think that no one has ever suffered as much, as verse 12 declares! Yet, Jesus suffered more than any person ever has! So, if anyone can understand what we are going through - it is the Lord Jesus!!!
Therefore, also as perplexing and ironic, is how people will rush to ask the Lord for His help and guidance, but then struggle with waiting on the Lord for His help and His answers! But why wait until we are in trouble and/or in misery before going to the Lord? And then when we do go to Him for help, we often ignore His answers, or become impatient with waiting. What then? People will just remain in their misery and expect others to join them in their misery, and/or confirm that what they are doing is good. "Just be yourself." "Whatever feels right for you, is good." "You are such a brave, strong person. Keep on doing exactly what you are doing!" Etc. And from experience, these worldly friends we depend on, will typically betray us at some point! So, do we continue to look to the world for our answers and help?
Or, as soon as possible, we can humble ourselves and go straight to the Lord for forgiveness, and experience His grace, healing and freedom from sin. In His salvation, we can experience His strength, peace, patience, comfort and joy. In His truth and guidance we will find true wisdom and understanding. And in our faith, we can trust in Him with confidence that He is sovereign and righteousness, and therefore He will hold to His promises and bring about justice. He will never betray or forsake us! So why not rush straight to Him, and then rest in Him? Why not be open to what His answers are, and trust that He knows best, and wants the best?!
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