Saturday, August 29, 2009

Grief And Desolation

Focus verses: Lamentations 1:12-17

The book known as Lamentations is generally ascribed to Jeremiah. In it he gives full vent to his grief over the loss of Jerusalem. Grieving is a normal response to loss. God understands our grief.

We are especially grieved when the loss we are experiencing is brought on by our own misguided actions. Look at verse fourteen.
My sins have been bound into a yoke;
by his hands they were woven together.
They have come upon my neck
and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has handed me over
to those I cannot withstand.
Sin is the source of this loss and desolation. We are doubly grieved when we recognize that the ills befalling us are the result of our own actions. We want to sow wild oats and then pray for a crop failure.

It doesn't happen that way. Every action carries within itself the seed of its own reward or punishment. Faithlessness toward God will bring on His anger. Continually stubborn faithlessness will incur His unmitigated wrath.

His wrath, however, is not vengeful. God uses it as a form of discipline. He demonstrates the consequences of faithlessness in order to convince us to faithfulness.

Can we learn faithfulness without the desolation?

Father, God,

Help us to be faithful to You in all that we do or say or think. Grant that we may bring every thought and imagination captive to obedience to You.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

1 comment:

Andrea said...

AMEN! Powerful!
Blessings and prayers, andrea