Read Lamentations 3:41-66
*Make sure you read my previous post before you read this one, so it will make more sense!
Ready to finish up our study on Lamentations 3? Get ready for some more amazing verses to meditate on as we dig into this amazing passage of God's Word!
Just like the previous section we studied, this passage has 2 parts to it. The first part in verses 41-47 is a call from Jeremiah to the Israelites to repent of their sins. Their sinfulness caused their suffering. They are ultimately responsible for what has happened to them. Their suffering is great, and Jeremiah describes their misery in the next few verses. God's anger has been poured out on them, many have been slain, and they have been made mere refuse (trash) (43, 45). They've experienced panic, pitfall, devastation, and destruction (47).
I love what Charles Swindoll has to say about the horrible destruction described in Lamentations: "It is a mute reminder that sin, in spite of all its allurement and excitement, carries with it heavy weights of sorrow, grief, misery, barrenness, and pain. It is the other side of the 'eat, drink, and be merry' coin" (The Lamentations of Jeremiah, Introduction). Lamentations serves as a wake-up call to believers everywhere. Sin has horrible consequences. It may be enjoyable for a season, but it will ultimately be judged. The small amount of pleasure you experience from it will be nothing in comparison to the pain that will occur afterward.
In the beginning of the next section, we see Jeremiah's utter sorrow, as he states, "my eyes pour down unceasingly, without stopping" (49). His pain and grief over the destruction of Jerusalem is great, but what a comfort it is to be able to cry out to God and give all of that over to Him! We see Jeremiah's moving and heartfelt prayer to God in verses 55-66, as he calls out to God from His lowest point (55). God responded to Jeremiah's cry by drawing near to him and saying, "Do not fear!" (57). How comforting! The Lord offers Jeremiah redemption in the midst of his misery (58). Jeremiah is also comforted by the fact that God has seen every single thing that has happened to him (59-63). He is confident that because God has seen his oppression, he will judge his enemies for their sinfulness, just as Israel was judged for their sinfulness.
I love Jeremiah's prayer in this passage. He goes to God in all his brokenness and despair, knowing that there is no where else to go. Only the Lord can offer healing and redemption and make things right again. Isn't it a comfort and a relief that we can go to God in prayer? I feel that oftentimes we see prayer as an obligation or duty for Christians, but it's actually a tremendous joy and comfort. I am reminded of this every time I see my non-Christian friends struggling. When they're going through a tough time or need help, they'll post on Facebook things like, "send good vibes my way," or "send me positive energy." I was flipping through the channels the other day and caught part of a movie. In the scene, a little boy was concerned about a struggling older man, and he asked his mother what he could do to help him. His mother said, "close your eyes, and send good thoughts to him...then the next time you see him he'll be happy." What?!?! Sending good vibes/thoughts/energy to someone doesn't mean anything at all. It's something people who don't know the Lord say to make themselves feel better when they're struggling...though it doesn't make them feel better at all, because it's complete baloney! What a comfort to know that when we're struggling, we can cry out to God, and He hears us! Prayer is a joy and a privilege...not a burden or duty.
Questions for reflection: Do you need to repent of any sins? What do you need to cry out to God about? Do you ever feel that you need to clean your act up before going to God? Is it comforting to see Jeremiah crying out to God in the midst of his misery and despair?
