24/05/2009

Book of Lamentations for quiet time, and i thought not much encouragement could come from a book with such a depressing name.

The book records the lamentations of Jeremiah the prophet, who lived to see Judah come under the foreign rule of the Babylonians lead by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Jeremiah is called by God to speak to the Israelites who are living in Judah during that time, speaking fervently to repent from their sins. The majority of the population of Judah refused, and thus, met the judgement of God in the form of being invaded and conquered by the Babylonian Empire. The population were later scattered throughout the land, with a significant amount of people being enslaved and deported/exile to Babylon to work as slaves.

Its not doomed for the Israelites after all that had happened. They were allowed to return to their own land in Judah under the rule of Cyrus, whom conquered the Babylonians as prophesied in the Book of Jeremiah.

Nevertheless, i prayed for God to speak to me, to encourage and assure me, and the Lord speaks with these words from the book....

(Lamentations 3:22-27)
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself,
"The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

(Lamentations 3:57)
You came near when I called you,
and You said, ''Do not fear.''

The last part really speaks to me! Because fear comes to me again... Haha...

Praise God for His timely message from an unlikely book!