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1 Oh, oh, oh . . . How empty the city, once teeming with people. A widow, this city, once in the front rank of nations, once queen of the ball, she's now a drudge in the kitchen. 2 She cries herself to sleep each night, tears soaking her pillow. No one's left among her lovers to sit and hold her hand. Her friends have all dumped her. 3 After years of pain and hard labor, Judah has gone into exile. She camps out among the nations, never feels at home. Hunted by all, she's stuck between a rock and a hard place. 4 Zion's roads weep, empty of pilgrims headed to the feasts. All her city gates are deserted, her priests in despair. Her virgins are sad. How bitter her fate. 5 Her enemies have become her masters. Her foes are living it up because God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Her children, prisoners of the enemy, trudge into exile. 6 All beauty has drained from Daughter Zion's face. Her princes are like deer famished for food, chased to exhaustion by hunters. (Lamentations 1:1-6 The Message Bible)
May the start of this wonderful Wednesday begin in your spirit and spread to all corners of your life! Any day started in Christ Jesus and through His holy word brings a spark of life to one who seeks it! May you personally be blessed, dear Friend!
It was on Sunday morning as we dressed for church that my wife remembered a particular Sunday years ago, when a student worker at our church saw the text for that morning, read it, and told Nellie, "This verse doesn't uplift! I come to church to be uplifted!" Nellie smiled and said that not all verses in the Bible nor sermons preached in most churches were meant to be uplifting. As we talked about it I said there were some preachers and church members that would, if they could, like Thomas Jefferson, edit the Bible according to their likes and dislikes. I repeat to you, dear reader, the Bible is an honest book about honest and dishonest people, and every single one of the persons in the Bible is human and as such, imperfect. The message in the Bible is also an honest love message from God that can lift as well as set straight each heart. This entire book of Lamentations has been the subject of much discussion and many have asked, why is it even in here? Again, honesty requires telling; and this is about the unfaithful people of God. Judah and Israel as nations found it easy to wander off the path and away from God. Like children whose parents leave the door open will walk out and towards whatever is attractive. It's as if the music from the ice cream truck on that particular day is especially loud and Momma left her purse within the child's reach. Money in hand, music in the ears, and the door wide open is a formula for failure. And the people of God easily found it to stray.
So do we. Yet, this passage does not close the Bible. This is found early in the story, and further reading of the pages that follow it will tell the glorious story of God's love and God's open door policy for His children. Please re-read the story of the Prodigal Son and insert your name or the name of Judah or Israel in it; better yet, the name of Eradio Valverde, and your have an honest biblical story. The story ends way better than it started. As will our lives. God is still busy writing out your story, and every drop of ink is really the blood of Jesus mapping out our lives in the way that God would love to see it go. If we are unhappy we are seeing too much red ink on a certain page, remember the story is not yet over! God is still writing. Hint: Peace, patience, and God's pace make for a better story.
PRAYER: Loving God, as You continue to write out our story, grant us Your peace. Guide us away from panic and onto the pages where you have shared patience. As as Your patience blesses us, grant to us the strength to walk forward in Your pace. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help someone realize their story is not even halfway done today!
Blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
