Read Lamentations 3.
Preachers have feelings too. It is an awe-filled task to deliver God's messages of sin and judgment. Jeremiah understood his own human flaws and disobedience. Then, when the fulfillment of the prophecies began to unfold, he experienced the loss of all things along with his countrymen.
Chapter 3 is the third acrostic eulogy for Jerusalem. There are two notable differences. First, instead of one verse for each of the 22 Hebrew letters, this poem takes three for each. Second, this is Jeremiah's very personal response to what has happened to the city, to the people, and to himself.
The insights come, not from his deep feelings of hurt, but notice how he moved from there to his faith.
1. Jeremiah's Hurt. (vv.1-18)
When his world fell apart, it brought him to a dark place "without any light" (v.2). The results were both inside and out. It affected him physically (v.4), emotionally (v.5), spiritually (v.8). He could find no place of peace (v.17). He reached the end of his perceived ability to endure it any longer (v.18).
These are not the words one would expect of a man of God. Is not the believer always to be singing the victory song? Don't the people who trust the LORD live above it all? Those who have placed their trust in the LORD have the same emotions and experience the same hurts in life as everyone else. There is no denying reality. But, there is more.
2. Jeremiah's Hope. (vv.19-40)
Tears? Yes. In verse 49, he wrote, "My eyes will flow without ceasing." However, the believer processes the pain differently. Greater than their hurt is their hope. It requires a deliberate act of faith to also "call to mind" (v.21) the rest of the story. Circumstances may change, but God does not change. Discipline for sin may come, but so does God's mercy. His offer of forgiveness and restoration is immediately available for those who put their trust in Him. Indeed, the very purpose of this discipline of Judah was to turn hearts back to the LORD.
In the middle of his pain, in the center section of this book, Jeremiah penned, perhaps, his most famous words: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (vv.22-23)
3. Jeremiah's Help. (vv.41-66)
He acknowledged his hurt. He remembered his hope. Then, he turned to the source of his help. Jeremiah recognized that he was not the only one hurting. He called upon those around him to examine themselves and come clean with God, He prayed, realizing the LORD was always present, hearing and seeing what happened, and powerfully able to intervene.
"This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." (Psalm 24:6)
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