Daily Devotional for December 7, 2015
Lamentations 5
Scripture:
15 Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. 16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! 17 Because of this our hearts are faint, because of these things our eyes grow dim 18 for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it. 19 You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. 20 Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? 21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old 22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.
Observation:
Jeremiah ends with a prayer to the Lord for restoration. Verse 21 reveals a glimmer of hope in his heart. I appreciate this chapter as a powerful lesson for us. No matter how desolate our situation may seem, it is appropriate to seek the Lord for restoration. Even though their current situation is a result of their actions, Jeremiah still pleads for mercy. I find comfort and hope in Jeremiah’s example.
Here are a few important notes that I took from this passage:
-Jeremiah was not afraid to give great detail about their situation. While we all know that God is aware of those details, I am sure that it was good for Jeremiah to repeat them aloud.
-Jeremiah took ownership of the situation (verse 16). I appreciate that he did not make excuses; he simply stated their responsibility.
-Jeremiah recognized that God is Lord (verse 19). This is an important realization. While we see hope expressed in verse 21, we see a surrender to God’s will in verse 22.
My hope is that the immediate response of your heart, to every situation, is to cry out to the Lord. Whether it’s asking for mercy or praising Him for blessing us, the Lord deserves our attention.
Application:
- Personal Application: Don’t be afraid to be specific in your prayers; however, remember that God’s will is more important than our desires.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Discuss with them the importance of spending time with God and the power of prayer. Encourage them to be specific when they pray while staying submissive and open to God’s direction and plan. Pray with them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Take some time to pray specifically about a situation in your life or family. Follow Jeremiah’s example in this chapter.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray specifically over each family member. You know their situations and needs. Cry out to the Lord on their behalf.
Three-Year Reading Plan for Sunday, December 6 – Sunday, December 13:
- Sunday, December 6: Lamentations 4
- Monday, December 7: Lamentations 5
- Tuesday, December 8: Psalms 66-67
- Wednesday, December 9: Psalms 68
- Thursday, December 10: Psalms 69
- Friday, December 11: Proverbs 30
- Saturday, December 12: Proverbs 31
- Sunday, December 13: Acts 1
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise marked, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblicia, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Fire Bible® elements including all Articles, the Bible Reading Plan, selected black and white maps and charts as noted, Book Introductions and outlines, color maps and the Color Map Index, footnotes, Study Notes, Subject Index, Themefinder™Index are the property of Life Publishers International, Springfield, MO U.S.A. All rights reserved.