Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
Lamentations 1-2
Saturday: Lamentations 3-4
Sunday: Lamentations 5; Jeremiah 40-42
Lamentations 1:1-3
1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
Jeremiah is absolutely devastated as he views the temple and city in which he lived. Jerusalem was lying in ruins and the temple destroyed. The people were gone into captivity and Jeremiah’s heart was broken. Jeremiah gives the analogy of a woman who has lost her husband. Jerusalem was lonely, vulnerable, and only a shadow of her influence.
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet; however, his tears were legitimate and genuine. He loved his people, his life, and his God. Sin had systematically taken it all away and left them desolate.
Sin does the same thing today. Without Christ, there is no hope, peace, or ability to love. With Christ as our Savior, yet choosing to sin, leaves a person lonely, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeless. Choosing to feed the flesh instead of yielding the Spirit, is foolish and dangerous. Sin is the culprit and surrender to the Spirit of God is the solution. May we choose to avoid the consequences of sin, by yielding to the Spirit of God and obeying the word of God.
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to hate sin like you hate sin.
- Lord, please help me to yield to the Spirit of God and enthusiastically trust your word.
- Lord, please help me to pray fervently for America that is on the same path of destruction that Israel experienced.
Political
- Representative Ronnie Peterson
- Representative Laurie Pohutsky
- Senator Dayna Polehanki