God's anger at sin in Lamentations chapter 2.February 7, 2009.

Hello My Friend; Good day.

Our reading for today is from Lamentations chapter 2. Chapter 1 described Jerusalem's desolation, but chapter 2 calls God's people to repentance. If sin had brought all this desolation, should the people continue in sin so that grace may abound? Though sins of the leaders brought these tragic consequences on the innocent was it God's fault and must God be the one to repent?That God allowed the Temple to be demolished meant that God no longer dwelt among His people (verse 6). We must remember that our place of worship is not more important than our pattern of worship. A church may have stain glass windows with images of Jesus and the angels, but if the worshipers inside it are not sincere to God, it decays from within. False worship amounts to a mockery of God but the Scripture has clearly declared that God is not mocked and whatsoever a man/woman sows, that must he/she also reap. The reaping will cause sadness and sorrows. A bad harvest yields anger and frustration, but whose fault? Jeremiah had tears of genuine sorrow; tears of compassion. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and he also wept over the death of His dear friend, Lazarus (John 11:35). What kind of tears do you shed today my Friend? Do you weep over the sins that freely flow on the city streets? Do you weep over children killing other children and their teachers on the school grounds? What do you weep for?. A Godly sorrow expresses the mind of God. Weep for forgiveness, weep my friend. Jeremiah's tears will never be forgotten. That is why we read of him today. There were thousands of false prophets in Jerusalem who told the people that everything was okay and that Jerusalem was fine. We do not hear about them today. Stand in the gap, pray and weep for our children, family, friends, church, community, and country today my friend and your tears will never be lost. Do not sit around and be complaisant. Do not be in the crowd and be lost with them. Stand out, speak up, pray and act. That was what Jeremiah taught us to do. Hallelujah. Amen.

Prayer for today as adapted from verses 18-21: "O walls of Jerusalem, let tears fall down upon you like a river; give yourselves no rest from weeping day or night and cry to your God. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord; lift up your hands to him; plead for your children as they faint with hunger in the streets. O Lord, think! These are your own people to whom you are doing this. ....See them lying in the streets-old and young, boys and girls, killed by the enemies' swords. You have killed them Lord in your anger; you have killed them without mercy." Now Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer and heal our land through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Apostle Ndueso Udoiwod.