Lamentations

With my new job schedule, I've been trying to figure out a morning routine that allows me to accomplish all that I want to without requiring me to get up at the crack of dawn.  One thing that I've been trying is listening to the Bible on cd during my commute.  The other day while listening to Lamentations, I had to pull over as tears filled my eyes as I took in imagery like this:

 My eyes fail from weeping,
   I am in torment within;
my heart is poured out on the ground
   because my people are destroyed,
because children and infants faint
   in the streets of the city.

  They say to their mothers,
   “Where is bread and wine?”
as they faint like the wounded
   in the streets of the city,
as their lives ebb away
   in their mothers’ arms.

(2:11-12)

Because of thirst the infant’s tongue 
   sticks to the roof of its mouth; 
the children beg for bread, 
   but no one gives it to them.
(4:4)


Remember, LORD, what has happened to us;
   look, and see our disgrace.
 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
   our homes to foreigners.
 We have become fatherless,
   our mothers are widows.
 We must buy the water we drink;
   our wood can be had only at a price.
 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
   we are weary and find no rest.
(5:1-5)


As Jeremiah's lament for Judah filled my ears, my own heart broke for a different people.  His images were far too familiar; it was much too easy for me to place faces and names with the infants and children that he described.  For the umpteenth time, my heart ached for Africa (and Haiti) and for my babies there, ached to soothe their hurts and bind up their wounds.  Jeremiah's words reminded me that this suffering isn't limited to the people of Judah thousands of years ago; it's prevalent and active in our word today.


Please take a moment and join me in those who are suffering the injustices of our world.  Pray for those ravaged by famine, greed, disease, thirst, war, slavery, death.  Pray that God's justice would prevail.  And pray for those who cause this injustices (after all, Judah faced such sufferings because of its guilt and disobedience to God; because they turned their back on God, even innocent children were impacted.  Yeah, that sounds familiar today).  Pray that they would turn from their evil ways to a life that brings honor and glory to God.  Please pray for both victim and assaulter; pray for redemption of our nation and our world, that we may turn from our evil ways and return to God.