Daily Devotional for December 4, 2015
Lamentations 2
Scripture:
17 The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn of your foes. 18 The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. 19 Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.
Observation:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
I know of no hidden secrets to serving and following God; however, the truth in this Scripture seems like a hidden gem. The ability to stay humble and the ability to remain a servant leader comes from having a broken and contrite heart before the Lord. In the verses above, Jeremiah is pleading with the people to pray and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness.
Brokenness happens one of two ways in our lives. We can either choose to humble ourselves and remain broken before the Lord, or we can allow the situations and circumstances of life to humble us and break us.
At one time in my life, I was very proud as a man and husband. I wasn’t prideful as a person, but I was confident in my abilities to take care of my family. I had a college degree and a decent job which enabled me to accomplish that task. But I soon sensed a call to the ministry, and left the security of my current position to attend Bible college. This relocation caused some tough financial times for us as newlyweds; however, I was determined as a man to be the provider of the family. As a fairly new Christian, I struggled, refusing the help of others.
During the transition, I really believed that providing for my family was my responsibility. In this season the Lord showed me that regardless of how hard I try, He is my provider. I learned this lesson the hard way and struggled for a while as a result. In fact, my stubbornness caused my wife of less than a year to struggle as well. Experience has taught me that it’s easier to purposefully stay humble before the Lord rather than stubbornly wait for life to humble me.
The man who is humble is stronger than the man who is proud.
Application:
- Personal Application: Are any areas of your life not surrendered to the Lord?
- Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Encourage them to spend time with the Lord on a regular basis, asking for forgiveness and brokenness. Answer any questions they may have about what that means. Pray with them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Cry out to the Lord for forgiveness. Ask God for a broken heart with which to serve Him, rather than having a heart full of stubborn pride.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that the Lord will guard the heart of your family members from the trap of pride.
Three-Year Reading Plan for Sunday, November 29 – Sunday, December 6:
- Sunday, November 29: Jeremiah 49
- Monday, November 30: Jeremiah 50
- Tuesday, December 1: Jeremiah 51
- Wednesday, December 2: Jeremiah 52
- Thursday, December 3: Lamentations 1
- Friday, December 4: Lamentations 2
- Saturday, December 5: Lamentations 3
- Sunday, December 6: Lamentations 4
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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