When the storms rage

"But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit.
You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.” - Lamentations 3:55-57

There is something beautiful and reassuring about the knowledge that God comes to our rescue. He hears all of our prayers, and he chooses to answer in his time. 

“Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.” - Unknown

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It is a good thing to have hope

When reading through the book of Lamentations, I couldn't help stopping at chapter 3 again. As you read through these words (in the modern paraphrase), I pray that they may be a blessing to you. 

It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God

I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left. 

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God. (Eugene Peterson) 

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Human rights

In response to the South African national holiday, Human Rights Day, I found a few quotes from the scriptures, which would be good to read in light of our Christian response to the rights of all people. This is usually a sensitive topic as we all have varying opinions on our rights, but hold these verses up to the debate and see if they add any wisdom.

"Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees,
2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?" - Isaiah 10:1-3

1 Corinthians 8:8-9 - "But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."

Lamentations 3:34-36 - "To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,

35 to deny people their rights before the Most High,
36 to deprive them of justice—would not the Lord see such things?"

As Christians, how do we view 'our' rights in the context of a fallen world? What action should we take to protect the rights of the marginalised and poor?

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Remember

Today (11th November) is always a significant day for many people as we remember people who died in any war, but especially the First and Second World Wars.  It is hard to conceive of the vast number of people who gave their lives to a bigger cause, all for the hope of making the world a better place. I suppose it was the promise of HOPE that motivated many to fight for their countries.

When Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations he told people that it was a good thing to REMEMBER, but also to look for Hope. He said:

"I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope..." (Lamentations 3:19-21 - The Message). 

As you remember all the good and bad in your life, but you continue to 'grip onto Hope.'

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Bring us back

"Bring us back to you, God—we’re ready to come back." - Lamentations 5

When can be so full of pride at times. We go our own way and when we realise we have made a mistake we are so slow to admit our error. Sometimes we need to be like the wayward son and eventually bump our heads so hard, that we only wake up when it hurts!

Jeremiah turns to God, on behalf of his people, and admits that they are ready to come back. He asks God to bring them back into the relationship of old - they long to be resting in the shelter of the most high and God longs for that too.

Remember that Lent teaches us that we are always welcome in the company of Jesus, but we need to be ready to come back to him. Jesus is not into "arm-wrestling" us back into his home, but he will gladly welcome us back, if we want.

Luke 8:39 - “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him."

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Somethings don't change!

"But Lord, you remain the same forever!    Your throne continues from generation to generation." - Lamentations 5:19

Kingdoms come and go. Princes, Rulers, Queens and King, all lead for a time, but they are also displaced by new leaders. Nothing lasts forever. However, in the midst of a life of uncertainty, Jeremiah reaches out to the only One who remains constant - God. In a sense, Jeremiah says to us, "somethings may change, but our Lord never does!"

And so as we live in an age of unexpected twists and turns, I also ask us all to rely on the One who remains the same.

Thank you God that You are unchanging.

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No more music

Can you imagine a world of no more music?! I don't think we could cope with that, do you? Music is a massive part of all of our lives. Most of us enjoying listening to it throughout the day and many talented people love playing their own music. Life would be hollow with no music!

Jeremiah laments that things were so bad in Judah that even the young people stopped playing their music... if you don't believe me, read for yourself:

"Music from the young is heard no more." - Lamentations 5

Our youngsters at home are at the age now where they love turning the music up louder and louder - it is hard to imagine our home/cars without the young ones playing their music. However, sometimes life can get so tough that it seems as if the music has died. Silence seems to rob us of the gift of song.

Easter teaches me that even when the enemy believed that God would sing no more, Jesus proved him wrong. 

Even though things may be tough for you today, please don't stop the music from playing. Remember the song of our Lord always reminds us that "God is Faithful and His love lasts forever."

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Restored

I have been asked why I am using a lot of readings from Lamentations of late. The answer is simple really - I have been reading and reflecting on these 5 chapters from Jeremiah, as part of my own Lenten experience.

This book is about the cry of God's people, when they realised they had messed up.
It is about being down and out, but realising that God has not given up on us, even if it seems that way at first.
It is about a deep seated hope that we can be RESTORED, no matter our state of heart.

This is the essence of the Gospel, isn't it. Once we were lost, but now we have been found. Once we were blind, but now we see again. Remember along the way that God may seem to have lost interest in us, but this is NOT the case. God is in the business of restoring us.

Psalm 51:12 - "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you."

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Disgrace

"Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
 look, and see our disgrace." - Lamentations 5:1

There is something tragic about one person calling another person a 'disgrace.' That word DISGRACE speaks so much shame over a another person. When Jeremiah was pleading with God to remember what had happened to them and for the Lord to notice their disgrace, he could have been saying, "Hey, God see how much SHAME is upon us!"

Lent reminds me that even when I am ashamed of myself, for whatever reason, Jesus has offered me the chance of redemption. Jesus doesn't see me as others do. 

“Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.” - Brené Brown

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Gold loses its appeal

"How the gold has lost its lustre,
    the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered    at every street corner." - Lamentations 4:1

When things hit a wobbly in our lives, even the finest things seem to lose their lustre. This is what Jeremiah is getting at when he writes Chapter 4 of Lamentations. The suffering of the people is so immense that even precious items (gold, gems) seem to be dull. Materials things have lost their attraction and all the people long for is some hope.

"The miserable have no other medicine
But only hope." ~William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

Do you know someone who is facing a tough time at the moment? Perhaps we could be an answer to their prayers - maybe we could offer them the hope of Jesus.

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Put ourselves to the test.

How do we know if we are improving or if we are ready to take the next step? Well, we need to put ourselves to the test. That is how it works at school, university and even in the work place. We need to be examined and if we 'pass' the test, then we know we have met the standard and then we can move on.

However, I am not entirely comfortable with this analogy in a spiritual sense. Yes, I need to
be examined and I need to be reminded of God's ways, but I am not always sure that I 'move' up a grade in my spiritual life. Sometimes it is as if I keep going back to square one and I realise that some of the lessons I should remember, I have forgotten.

This is why I need God's grace on a daily basis and I believe that I will need to be reminded to keep turning back to God's gift of Life.

"Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
    Let us turn back to the Lord.
⁴¹ Let us lift our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven and say,
⁴² “We have sinned and rebelled,    and you have not forgiven us." - Lamentations 3:40-42

2 Corinthians 8:2 -  They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

Lent is a wonderful opportunity to 'test myself' against the character of Jesus.

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Feeling abandoned?

Have you ever felt let down or even abandoned by someone else? Yes, I thought so!
It happens more than we would like, but I suppose it is a part of being human. People are not perfect and they will let us down at some point - just like we will do the same with others.

The good news for us, is that when we feel that people (or God) have abandoned us, this will not last forever. God is not in the habit of letting us down, and God will reveal his compassion to us in due course. Remember that in this Lenten journey, Jesus understood what it was like to be abandoned - he endured the pain of this experience so that we could find our hope and salvation.

If you are feeling let down by someone, why not turn to Jesus and allow Him to lift you up?
If you sense that you have abandoned someone, then perhaps God is prompting you to apologise and to make things right?

"For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow." - Lamentations 3:31-33

"Basic human contact - the meeting of eyes, the exchanging of words - is to the psyche what oxygen is to the brain. If you're feeling abandoned by the world, interact with anyone you can." - Martha Beck

Basic human contact - the meeting of eyes, the exchanging of words - is to the psyche what oxygen is to the brain. If you're feeling abandoned by the world, interact with anyone you can. Martha Beck
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/abandoned.html

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Daring to Hope

"...yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
The unfailing love of the Lord never ends!
By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction." - Lamentations 3:21-22

Despite all that he has seen around him, Jeremiah is still willing to hope that God will get them out of the mess they have made. He dares to HOPE. I am not sure about you, but when I look around at the mess our world is in, I am a little scared to hope. I wonder if things will get better and how they will improve. However, the one thing I do know is that God is a God of HOPE. When all seems lost, that is when God shows up.


“We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.”  -Anne Lamott

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We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_hope.ht

Shutting out all Light

"I am the one who has seen the afflictions
 that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
He has led me into darkness,    shutting out all light." - Lamentations 3:1

The absence of light is a disturbing reality. It makes us feel disorientated and alone. Sometimes we can choose to be in the dark, especially if we are not feeling well - a little darkness helps us rest. However, most of the time we enter into the darkness through no choice of our own. That is when the lack of light feels the most frightening. 

Lent is a time where we reacquaint ourselves with the darkness in us and the impact this has on others. It also teaches us that there is always HOPE when we include Christ in our lives. He is the one who can guide us through the periods of darkness and can offer us strength to carry on.

I encourage you not to SHUT out the light of Christ.

Matthew 4:16 - "...the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”

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Crying all your tears out

"I have cried until the tears no longer come. My heart is broken, my spirit poured out..." - Lamentations 2:11

Perhaps this is where we get the saying, "I cried my eyes out!"
There have been times in all of our lives where the pain has made us weep and weep, until we have no more tears. This is Jeremiah's story too. He cries over the brokenness of his people and for the loss of a relationship with God. He can't do anything to change the situation, but his tears help him to grieve for the loss he experiences.

As you reflect on this sentiment remember that Jesus offers us compassion for our tears and brokenness. Jesus is the one who also weeps and we can turn to him in the midst of our distress and fear.

John 11:35 - "Then Jesus wept."

May you find solace in the arms of Jesus - the one who weeps with you and who is strong enough to carry you through your trials.

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Would God destroy the Church?

Would God willingly destroy the Church?
This may seem like a weird question to be asking and I guess the answer depends on your understanding of what 'Church' is. However, before I answer the question, let me tell you how I come to ask it.

In the 2nd chapter of Lamentations, Jeremiah makes some very strong statements concerning the destruction of the Temple and "God's anger" at the sin of the people. Take these as an example:

.....He has broken down his Temple as though it were merely a garden shelter (v.6)

...The Lord has rejected his own altar; he despises his own sanctuary (v.7)

...The Lord was determined to destroy the walls of Jerusalem (v.8)

It seems that God was willing to destroy the "outer facade" of the Temple/Church in order to allow the people to come to their senses. God was not as attached to the bricks and mortar, as we sometimes are - God's greatest concern was that the hearts of the people had turned from Him. The people had sold out to other gods and so God allowed the destruction of religious symbols, in order to win back the hearts of his children. It seems extreme, but it seems to be so.

So, if we understand 'Church' to mean bricks and mortar, then I would be so bold as to say: "Yes, God would sacrifice mere materials if it brought back his children to him. God is more concerned about our hearts than our buildings."

However, if you see 'Church' as meaning 'the bride of Christ', then the answer to first question is 'No!' Of course God wouldn't destroy his bride, but I do believe that he would keep calling us to remain true to our first love.

As we continue to towards Easter, let us remember that this season is a time of introspection and cleansing - ask God to purify your hearts and minds. Grace and Peace to you. 

What are your thoughts on this? Send me a reply or email: delmelinscott@gmail.com

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Without Mercy

 

Jeremiah paints a bleak picture, in Lamentations 2, of what God has allowed to happen to the Israelites. From his words we understand his deep pain and great sense of loss. The language he uses is certainly strong enough to believe that God has truly abandoned the nation.

"Without mercy the Lord has destroyed
    every home in Israel.
In his anger he has broken down
    the fortress walls of beautiful Jerusalem.
He has brought them to the ground,    dishonoring the kingdom and its rulers." - Lamentations 2:2

Thankfully, this is not how Jesus presents the grace of the Father. Jesus tells us that God is indeed FULL of mercy and slow to anger. I hate to think where I would be, if God had chosen to show me 'NO MERCY.'

Remember that our journey through Lent is a journey into mercy and away from rejection.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, that even when I deserved to be shown no Mercy, that your son, Jesus died for me. Thank you for the cross of grace and the compassion you have for me.

Read - Luke 6:36

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Owning up

Very few of us like to own up to our mistakes. We find it easier to blame someone else and to shift the attention away from our short-comings and sins. However, this is only a deception and in the end, it doesn't do us any favours. When we lie to ourselves, we end up breaking our own hearts, as well as those of others around us.

Judah eventually owned up to her sin and cried out to God:
“Lord, see my anguish!
    My heart is broken
and my soul despairs,
    for I have rebelled against you." - Lamentations 1:20

A few verses before the nation was blaming God for all her troubles, but now the people have come to their senses. It must have been hard to uttered the words "I have rebelled against you!" 
I believe that this confession is the beginning point in bringing healing to the broken heart and the soul that despairs.

What do you think?

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