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. The LORD is my portion,’
says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’" (vv.22-24)
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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