SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/15/2014
11:50 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Prophet’s
Distress PT-3
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Lamentations
3:40-51
Message of the
verses: We will be looking at the
third sub-section under “The Prophet’s Distress” in today’s SD.
The Nation’s penitence (Lamentations 3:40-51): “40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And
let us return to the LORD. 41 We lift up our heart and hands Toward God in
heaven; 42 We have
transgressed and rebelled, You have not pardoned. 43 You have covered Yourself with anger And pursued
us; You have slain
and have not spared. 44 You
have covered Yourself with a cloud So that no prayer can pass through. 45 You have made us mere
offscouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples. 46 All our enemies have
opened their mouths against us. 47 Panic and pitfall have befallen us,
Devastation and destruction; 48 My eyes run down with streams of water Because of the destruction of
the daughter of my people. 49 My eyes pour down unceasingly, Without stopping, 50 Until the LORD looks down And
sees from heaven. 51 My eyes bring pain to my soul Because of all the
daughters of my city.””
As I look at these verses the ninth chapter of Daniel
comes to my mind, and as I read over the commentary that Dr. Wiersbe has from
this section he also mentions the ninth chapter of Daniel, along with the ninth
chapter of Ezra, and Nehemiah. All of
these speak of repentance to the Lord for the sins that the nation had
committed against the Lord. I have
studied the prayer that Daniel spoke when we studied the book of Daniel, and
that prayer has been truly meaningful to me as I have learned different things
from it that still have an impact on me.
Dr.
Wiersbe uses the KJV of the Bible and so it can be a bit different than the
NASB that I use, and in the 39th verse of this third chapter of
Lamentations the KJV reads as follows “Wherefore doth a living man complain, a
man for the punishment of his sins?” You
can see that the NASB reads as follows “Why should any living mortal, or any
man, Offer complaint in view of his sins?”
The difference is, of course the words “complaint” and “punishment.” He writes “The phrase ‘punishment of his sins’
in verse 39 naturally brings up the necessity for personal and national
repentance. Jeremiah knew that the fall
of Jerusalem was an act of chastening on the part of Jehovah, and that the purpose
of that chastening was to bring the nation to her knees, confessing her
sins. This meant searching their hearts,
acknowledging their transgressions, and seeking the forgiveness of the
Lord. Cleansing and restoration were
promised in the covenant, and also in Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the
temple. God chastens us that He might be
able to cleanse us when we tell Him we’re sorry.” Now we have to be reminded again that the
Lord’s chastening is because of His love for us.
We
see that the Gentiles looked at the nation of Israel as scum and refuse, this,
of course was not the way that God looked upon Israel for they were His
children, and that is true of all true believers today as we are children of
God. God will never forsake the nation
of Israel, nor will He forsake those who are true members of His Church
today. He may chasten us when we stray,
but as I said it is out of His love for us.
When I was studying the attributes of God one of the authors said that
His attribute of longsuffering had to do with believer’s sin, and He is
longsuffering to us who are His own, but there will come a point when that
longsuffering ends, just as we see with the destruction of Jerusalem and the
temple, for that was the end of the longsuffering of God for Judah.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Dr. Wiersbe
ends this section with what I will use for this section of my Spiritual Diary
where he writes “God’s call for His people to repent is just as valid
today. Are we listening?”
My Steps of Faith for Today: I surely want to listen.
Memory verses for the
week: Colossians 3:1-9.
1 Therefore if we have been
raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God. 2 Set you mind
on the things of God, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who
is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your
earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed,
which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is
because of these things that the wrath of God has come upon the sons of
disobedience; 7 and in them you once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside:
anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid
aside the old self with its evil practices,
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Bathsheba” (2 Samuel 11:3).
Today’s Bible
question: “Which two of the Gospels tell
of the birth of Christ?”
Answer in our next SD.
9/15/2014 12:29 PM
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