Dear Friends in Christ-
The first selection of the Hebrew scriptures has followed the rise of the prophets through the season after Pentecost. Several weeks have been spent in Jeremiah, and now we turn to Lamentations. Though Lamentations was probably not written by Jeremiah, historically they were attributed to the prophet, a collection of poetic witness to the destruction of Jerusalem during the siege by Babylon in 587 B.C.E. In 1:1-6, the author personifies Jerusalem as a woman, a war widow who has lost everything and has been taken captive by all her enemies. The city is utterly destroyed, and all the people taken into exile after suffering the siege. Verse 5 states that God has caused this because the leaders of Jerusalem did not follow God’s ways and abandoned the people. Lamentations 1:1-6, New International Version 1 How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. 2 Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. 3 After affliction and harsh labor, Judah has gone into exile. She dwells among the nations; she finds no resting place. All who pursue her have overtaken her in the midst of her distress. 4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed festivals. All her gateways are desolate, her priests groan, her young women grieve, and she is in bitter anguish. 5 Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe. 6 All the splendor has departed from Daughter Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; in weakness they have fled before the pursuer. Lamentations 3:19-26 19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. The book of Lamentations articulates the anguish of the Hebrews in the wake of the conquest of Jerusalem and the razing of the city by Babylon. Who knows? By empathetically weeping with those who hurt far away and with those who suffer in our own contexts, we may come to love them. And if we come authentically to love them, our eyes might even be opened to see that the Lord to whom we cry out together is already there — where He ever is — among the broken and suffering in our world. Jesus is there, wounded, pierced, weeping, but speaking a quiet promise of a reign of God that will yet come. Oh, maranatha! (1 Corinthians 16:22). When our world comes crashing around our ears, we need someone to listen. Yes, God is always there for prayer. Yet, this begs the question, how am I there for others in difficult circumstances? What other questions come to mind as you discern the impact of this Word? In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡ Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher.com, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android Comments are closed.
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ZOOM WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY @ 11 AM To join by phone, dial (929) 205-6099 and enter the meeting ID and password below: Meeting ID: 876 1875 9099 Password 333 PrayerGracious Loving Lord, please keep all of your children safe in these trying times. Guide us. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our minds to understand and our hearts to know and be your love to others. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Want to support RLUMC and our missions? Donate Today
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September 2023
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