Read Lamentations 3:17-26
Our lives need to be consistent with the faith we profess
We all experience times in our lives when we have good reason to feel sad, depressed or a failure. It is good to be honest with God and tell him exactly how we feel and why, because he knows our need, and understands us perfectly. He can help us to get things into the right perspective as we look to Him for help, comfort, or guidance.
Why was Jeremiah feeling so downhearted and miserable? It was because God was deeply disappointed and angry with his people. They continually broke God's covenant with them by disobeying his rules for living and worship.
They had abandoned their worship of the living God and were following idols, (Jeremiah 7:5-11). They even set up idols in the Temple, but most heinous of all they were giving their children as burnt offerings to the god Molech. (Jeremiah 7:30-31).
Jeremiah was the bearer of difficult news to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judah, that God would punish them unless they repented and changed their ways. They treated Jeremiah with scorn, unbelief and cruelty. Yet his prophesy became a reality when invasion came. The city and the Temple were destroyed, and the people who survived were taken in chains to exile in Babylon. Jeremiah probably felt that he'd failed in his calling, and let God and his people down.
Jeremiah's words in this Lament show a real grief at all that has happened. He is expressing the deep anguish of his soul. Then he focuses his mind away from his present circumstances to the God he serves. He then lifts his mind, heart and soul to God whose love never ends.
God's promise in Jeremiah 33:6-8 is to allow the people of Judah and Israel to return to their own land, where he will heal them and forgive their sin and rebellion. Jeremiah recognizes that God's blessings are fresh each day. We do not have to live on our past experiences of God - he is ever present.
To think about
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Why not seek him now?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness and love. My hope and trust is in you.