LAMENTATIONS

Today is Friday, and I have Friday's off so I love Fridays!  Today I have two appointments but that is all I have planned.  I am going to finish my blog and run off to the gym for a longer workout.  Getting to enjoy spending the time at the gym working out and praying while I'm doing that.  I am in Lamentations, and it is called:  The Lamentations of Jeremiah.  Lamentation means: "weeping".  It is put into poetry.  With five short chapters, we have chapters 1 & 2, 4&5 having each 22 verses.  Chapter 3 has 66 verses.  Each chapter has almost as many words as each of them, but chapter 3 is broken down into shorter thoughts, hence... more verses!  Here are some thoughts from Lamentations:

1) OUR MERCIFUL GOD- Lam. 3:22 says:  "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."  I love verses like this!  It tells us of our merciful God.  We know what we are, and are reminded of that often, but when we see who God is... it encourages us.  If the LORD were to mark iniquities, David asks, who would stand?  For the believer, our sins are forgiven and forgotten by God.  As though they never existed.  What a wonderful thing to know that because of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven forever!  Praise His name!

2) MINE EYE AFFECTETH MINE HEART- That is what Lamentations 3:51 says.  It is so true.  What you see is what you think about is what your heart will lean towards.  So... what what we see!  Make wise choices in what we choose to look at and we will be much stronger and victorious Christians.  If we look at the work of God, we will have a heart for the Work of God!

3) FAMINE- Famine is a terrible thing and Jeremiah speaks of the terrible famine that was in Jerusalem before it fell.  The city was laid siege to until there was nothing to eat.  So, Jeremiah gives us these terrible insights into how bad it got:  4:8 "Their visage is blacker than a coal;... their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick."  vs. 9: They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field."  vs. 10- "The hands of the pitiful women have sodden (cooked & eaten) their own children:"  5:10 "Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine."  We need to praise God that we have not experienced such terrible things in our life time. 

Well, I'm done for today.  Hope you have a blessed time today!  Pastor Mike Mutchler