Wed.’s Devo - Lamentations

Read: Lamentations 1:1-2:22; Philemon 1:1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 26:20 Most scholars believe Lamentations was written by Jeremiah. It is believed it was written during and after the time Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem and the people in the city were starving to death. One of the themes of Jeremiah was that their situation was the result of their rebellion against God. They saw the Babylonians being the hand of God punishing them for their sins, which were many. *** The prophet mourns the fall of Jerusalem who was once a great and respected city in the nations. The people have been taken into captivity and her sins have finally caught up with her. No nation comes to her rescue. Her Temple has been desecrated and everything of worth has been carted off. The people are left with nothing and their strength is gone. Her kings and queens have been exiled to a foreign land and her law has ceased to exist. Her false prophets are now proven to be liars. But God’s prophets had warned of this moment over and over. Their sins invited this chaos. *** Paul and Timothy joined to write a letter to Philemon. They are asking Philemon to be kind to Onesimus who was Philemon’s run-away slave. He found Christ through Paul and Timothy’s ministry and has matured into a leader in the church. He reminds Philemon that Onesimus is no longer a slave to him, but a brother in Christ. *** Paul emphasizes the love he has for Onesimus and sends him back as if he is sending himself. He wants Philemon to treat him like he would treat Paul if he was coming to visit. *** This is a great picture of how we receive a person who was mean to us in the past, but is now a believer in Christ. We must see them as new creatures, not the same person. *** Lord, may we be merciful like you are merciful. May we forgive and allow people to change. Give us your eyes to see what you see.