Lamentations 5:17-22 says,...Bible reading week 24, day 5

Today's verses are Lamentations 5:17-22, which read,

17 - Because of this our heart is faint, because of these things our eyes are dim;

18 - because of Mount Zion which lies desolate, foxes prowl in it.

19 - You, O LORD, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.

20 - Why do You forget us forever?  Why do You forsake us so long?

21 - Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old,

22 - unless You have utterly rejected us and are exceedingly angry with us.

 What a way to end the book.  The "this" and the "these things" was identified in the last study and it is our sin.  Our sin is making our hearts faint and our eyes dim.  Our sin has put us in the state that foxes are coming in and taking advantage of our situation.  The people of Israel are suffering these consequences because of their sin and the whole book has been a lament over where they are at because of their rejection of God.  The finger is pointed at no one else but themselves and the solution is found in no one else but God and so Jeremiah goes back to addressing Him.

God is sovereign.  God's rule is forever.  God's throne is established from generation to generation.  There is not a time when there is no God.  God is over all.  God is above all.  

The human response would be that this sovereign God has forgotten us.  This sovereign God has forsaken those who have rejected Him and also those who have stayed true to Him but are suffering the consequences of a society that is running from Him.  It would seem from our perspective that God has left the building and we are on our own.  But Jeremiah knows better and Jeremiah is a prophet telling of what is to come because God has given him that message to bring.  

Jeremiah is looking for the restoration.  Jeremiah is looking for the renewing.  He has hope in what God has said even though the surroundings look bleak and dark.  But Jeremiah even gives the future to God, that this sovereign God, because He is God, could utterly reject and be exceedingly angry and that would be totally under the justice of God to do.  God is in control of it all and not us.  

This has been a book of sorrow over sin and that is the first step if we are going to be restored to faith and obedience to God.  We have to admit sin, confess sin, and repent of sin.  We need to submit to God's definition of sin and His consequences stated of what happens to someone who follows after it.  We will not "get better" with God with sin lingering around in our lives.  Sin has to be dealt with so that God will again be God in our lives and of our lives.  Is there any sin lingering around that you have stopped being sorrowful for?  It has been around so long that you don't see it as sin anymore?  You have downgraded it to something other than sin like maybe just a mistake made or an error in judgment.  True restoration and renew comes to those who lay all before God and seek His ways only.  Let us pray.

"Lord, we complete another book of Your book, the Bible.  Jeremiah has taught us to cry again about sin.  If we have hardened our hearts to cling to it, may our hearts be softened to feel the absence of Your blessings that come from following after You.  May we handle sin by bringing it to You to be forgiven and find ourselves in submission to the One who continues to know what is best for us even more than we do ourselves.  Amen."

Pastor Adam