Jerusalem remembers
in the days of her affliction and wandering
all the precious things
that were hers from days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the foe,
and there was none to help her,
her foes gloated over her;
they mocked at her downfall.
Many love songs contain lyrics that lament the fact that a man does not know what he has until he loses it, usually a girl. Here in a book called Lamentations, is an entire nation looking back on all that God had done but, instead of remaining faithful to him, decided to take him for granted. The precious things that were hers from days of old are not listed but are easily remembered from Scripture. He created them for his good pleasure. He made a covenant with them after delivering them from slavery. He fought for them as he gave them the Promised Land. Israel had much in the way of precious things but a precious lot of good it did now.
Many in our churches take God for granted, using him as a heavenly insurance policy, praying to him only when they want to file a claim. God is not our agent. He is our Lord and Master. When he gives us precious things, like his Son’s sacrifice on a cross, we need to remember that on a daily basis. Otherwise, we run the risk of missing out on the blessings he has in store for us in this world as we await the next. May we avoid our downfall by looking up today.
Dear Lord, we praise you for your infinite goodness. In our finiteness, may we remember who you are, who we are, and what you have done. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church