Fri.’s Devo - The First and Second Lamentation

Read: Lamentations 1:1-2:22; Philemon 1:1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 26:20 Lamentations is a group of five songs sung about the downfall of Judah. They all consist of 22 stanzas which begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order except the last song. In the last song they are not in alphabetical order. It is believed that they did this in the first four so it would be easy to memorize. Maybe they didn’t put the last on in order to point out that there was no order in the land. That is my thought. The first lamentation has to do with Jerusalem who was once the greatest city on the earth. It was God’s city where he chose to put his presence. It was not deserted and taken. All of her allies had turned against her. She had trusted in Egypt and they turned on her. Then she trusted in Babylon and they destroyed her. The people of Jerusalem had given no thought to their future as they spent their devotion on other gods and turned from their true God. Now they will remembered what they had done and groaned as they search for bread. There was no future for their children. God withdrew his protection and used his strength against them. It was a sad time. The Second Lamentation mourns the destruction of the Temple. All worship and the celebrations of God’s feasts were stopped. Her law ceased to exist as all the people had been taken into exile and not allowed to worship their God. The prophets received no more words from the Lord. The people hung their heads in shame and cried out for their lives. There was no comfort to be found. They had become a laughingstock to the world. Philemon is a letter Paul wrote from him and Timothy while he was in jail in Rome. Philemon had a house church and Paul wrote to him to encourage him with grace and peace. Paul had received great news about what was going on in his church and wanted him to know that he was praying for him. The way he taught his people to love one another and be generous to each other gave Paul such joy and comfort. This was how the church was suppose to look. Paul asked Philemon to be kind to his spiritual child, Onesimus who had been Onesimus’ escaped slave. He had come to Rome and had been very helpful to Paul. He was sending him back to Philemon as a helper in the church and told him that if Onesimus owed him anything to let him know and he would pay it. He did remind Philemon that he owed Paul is very soul so there was an incentive to do the right thing. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with our spirit today.