Lamentations: Day 5
We continue to see the sad condition of Judah and its people. They are worse than slaves. The people have been ravished and abused. They are joyless. They even have to buy their own firewood (4)! Worse yet, Jeremiah knows this is all a result of the people’s sin (16). It is always worse when we know that it is a result of our own doing.
At the end of the book, we see a plea for restoration. After watching the people of Judah disobey God for so long and seeing the awful consequences of their disobedience, Jeremiah offers this plea on behalf of his people. We do that too, sometimes, when we hit rock-bottom.
We may experience the consequences of sin for a while, but God is always there to restore and renew us. In the case of the people of Judah, God returned them from exile many years later. And, more significantly, about five hundred years later, God sent His Son to restore the nation of Israel, and all who believe, permanently.
We have seen Jeremiah’s anguish over the destruction of his people. We have seen the serious and ugly side of the consequences of disobedience. But we are also reminded of God’s compassion and faithfulness. No matter how bad things may look, we cling to God’s mercy and wait for His restoration.
Key Verse:
“Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old” ~ Lamentations 5:21
Questions to ponder:
- How can you draw from principles of God’s mercy and restoration to overcome difficult circumstances?
- How can you encourage someone else to persevere and overcome difficult circumstances?
