Meditations on Lamentations...

The book of Lamentations is a collection of five poems of grief that the author uses to express his grief over the impending captivity of Israel.  Though the grief of Lamentations is as deep and heavy as any ever recorded, hope lies at the bottom.  The author does not say "Cheer up!" to himself or anyone else.  He mourns passionately and fully.  But in mourning he looks to recovery.  The author expresses the full and dreadful horror of what he has seen, and he gives God full responsibility.  Yet, remembering that the Lord is a loving God, he counts on God to heal Israel's wounds.  This time of mourning will be followed by another time, a time to dance.  As you read the following passage, take a few moments to think about how it can encourage and challenge you in your walk with God.  The questions following the passage are designed to bring encouragement and challenge where needed.


"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.  Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  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."  Lamentations 3:19-24

This passage offers hope to the afflicted.  How might God be offering you hope through this passage?

Does the passage give you confidence in God's unfailing and faithful love even during trials?

The passage says, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."  Are you finding your contentment in the Lord, or are you looking elsewhere for it (things, pleasure, relationships, etc.)?

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
    Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
(Intro adapted from the NIV 2011 Student Bible.  Great is Thy Faithfulness, words and music by William Runyan and Thomas Chislom.)

"Here I am!"

The other day I was reading in 1 Samuel chapter 3 and was struck with the attitude of the young boy Samuel.  If you have heard this classic Bible story before, bear with me as I give us all a quick recap to refresh our memories.

The boy, Samuel, was living at the temple of God in a town called Shiloh.  His mother had dedicated his life to service before God before he was even born!  One night as he was going to bed, he heard a voice calling to him.  He answered, "Here I am," and went to see what his master Eli wanted.  Eli said to him, "I did not call; go back and lie down."  Each time, the obedient little boy would go and lie down on his little bed.  Twice more as he was lying there, Samuel heard someone calling his name, and each time he went to see what Eli wanted.  Finally Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.  Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'"  Samuel went and lay down in his place.  The Lord came and stood there calling as the other times, "Samuel!  Samuel!"  Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."  The Lord then gave a message to Samuel regarding the wicked sons of Eli.

Okay, do you get a basic sense of the story now?  If you want to read it for yourself, it is in 1 Samuel chapter 3.

So, what's the moral of the story?  What can we learn from Samuel?

First of all, he listened!  Listening to God isn't always easy to do, especially when we let all of the stresses of daily life crowd in.  Samuel might have been young, but he was already learning the importance of paying attention to what God had to say to him

Second, he obeyed.  Samuel didn't just listen to what God had to say and then blow it of because he didn't feel like it.  He didn't procrastinate and say, "It can wait until tomorrow."  No!  He responded in obedience to God by making himself available and willing to listen to the message that God had for him.

What happened as a result of Samuel's willingness to listen and obey?

God used Samuel.  Starting with his obedience in small things as a little kid, God went on to use him as a prophet who was seeking God with his whole heart.  So often, we think that God can't use us because we are too young or too inexperienced to be used by Him.  We have so many excuses to attempt to get out of all of the opportunities that God has in store for us.  1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."  1 Samuel 3:19 says, "The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground."  Samuel was just a kid when God started using him!  Think what God can do with you!