A few days ago, I began reading through the book of Lamentations. To lament is to weep or an expression of sorrow or grief.
In the Hebrew Bible, Lamentations is called “How” which is the first word in the book.
“How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations. . . She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks”
These opening words, referencing a widow, really hit home. It was not long ago that my father passed away from this life leaving my mother alone. They had been married for 69 years, has come to an end.
The past weeks I have heard and felt her weeping. She is experiencing deep sorrow and I can only imagine, the sounds of grief that only the walls the house they built, witness.
The reason for the weeping, sadness and sorrow of Lamentations is the rebellious people of Jerusalem (the lonely city that was once full of people) are being taken into exile.
The patience of God has come to an end. The city is being destroyed. It has come to an end.
The hundreds of years of God’s patience has come to an end. The people are facing judgement by being exiled and their city destroyed.
The focus Monday was to encourage those in the faith or Christ. Today, I would like to lovingly address any who hears this and you are NOT in Christ.
I am calling you. I want you to hear me.
On one extreme there are those raised in a church family, and you have abandoned the faith. The other extreme are those who never sat foot inside of a church building. The rest fit in between. My words for you today, come to Jesus.
God is patient. God is loving. God is merciful. But for those outside of the faith, it will come to an end.
For those outside of the faith, there will be a final day. Just like those in Lamentations, there will be a final day, a final hour and a final breath. There will be a day of judgement.
Being outside of Christ means, you will not have the righteousness of Jesus on which to claim. That will certainly be a moment to lament. Oh, how you will weep.
If you would like to discuss this, privately and confidentially you can reach out to me at: