Having seen the glory of Jerusalem, lived there, seen the
processions from the outlying areas as they came joyously for the festivals and
heard the crowds and seen and experienced the spectacle of the worship of the
people of God, the bustling, crowded city, can you imagine how horrible it
would be to see it devastated and empty?
No people, no business, the walls torn down, the glorious temple
destroyed and desolate, no life at all except vermin and birds. No wonder Jeremiah lamented this way. He paints a piteous picture of the nation in
exile and mourning, begging for pity and sympathy. If, however, anyone expects Jeremiah to be
sympathetic and romantic about the situation they are mistaken. Jeremiah knows exactly why this has happened,
they have sinned grievously. The very
ones in whom they trusted instead of the Lord have become their enemies and
captors. They now are as they were in
Egypt so long ago, no nation at all, belonging nowhere and to no one. The church needs to take care lest the same
thing happen to us for lusting after the things of the world rather than
hungering and thirsting for righteousness and God's kingdom.
Can you relate to laying down your burden, walking away from
slavery and coming to the one who promises rest, an easy burden and a light
yoke? Does that sound good to you? He has just lectured those who rejected Him
and then, in the next breath, offers rest for the weary and heavy laden for
refreshment and rest for their souls. We
have a tendency to continually pick up burdens to bear instead of leaving them
with Him. At the end of our worship each
week we have a time when we send things to the cross. We send all our problems, all our
difficulties and all the devil's works to the cross and my fear is that I don't
leave them there. We walk out still carrying
all our hurts, all our grievances, all our problems with us rather than
actually giving them to Him. Do we not
trust Him?
Paul is certainly unimpressed with this body isn't he? He says it is perishable, dishonorable, weak,
and natural. Why then are we so
impressed and obsessed with this life when it is a pale imitation of the one to
come which is imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. To realize that we are but dust as we say on
Ash Wednesday but ultimately we will be like Jesus, heavenly and eternal is
surely an inducement to long for that life, to pray for the kingdom to come. Dust is the stuff that was left over from
creation. The body we will have is,
however, like the creator's not the creation.
Sin isn't final, forgiveness is the final word on the matter if we
repent.
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