My Understanding: Although the author of Lamentations is not known for sure, many attribute the writings to Jeremiah. His nation was judged by God, so he was among them when they went through this time of judgment and suffering. Jeremiah begins this passage by talking about Jerusalem and her condition because of these judgments of God upon her. Then, he switches language to where he speaks in first person, as though he is Jerusalem personified. And, the Lord has done that with me, as well, in that he has used this friend of ours to personify the church in the USA, I believe, and then he used me, as well, to personify the church, too.
The basic theme of this hymn, I believe, is God’s grace and mercy which sought us even when we were strangers to God. The sub-theme of this song is the wandering heart of man – prone to wander from the fold of God; to leave the God we love. Yet, even though we have wandered or are presently wandering from God, he longs to bring us back into his fold and he longs to show us his grace and mercy. The key is in the last phrase of this hymn where the author states: “Here’s my heart, O take and seal it…” We have to give our hearts to God unreservedly. We have to let go and let God. This is what I told our friend last night.
This chapter in Lamentations 1 explains why the people are suffering as they are. It is because of her many sins. It is because of her wandering. Wandering from God appears to be central here and only second in theme to God’s grace and mercy. The church in the USA, I believe, has sinned and has wandered greatly from God, and so she has become unclean. Her filthiness is clinging to her skirts and she is not considering her future. The author is calling upon God now to look upon his (Israel’s) affliction. It is a call for mercy.
The author then becomes a personification of Jerusalem (Israel). I believe my sinus headache from this morning and the pain I was feeling parallels what the author is expressing here. I believe a storm is coming to the USA and that it is going to cause grave suffering. V. 14 describes how I was feeling with this headache, only it relates the suffering to the sins of Israel. He states that his sins have been bound into a yoke and that they have come upon his neck and the Lord has sapped his strength. That is definitely how I was feeling this morning. And, I cried to God for mercy and he lifted the pain and suffering.
Then, the subject moves to the theme of rebellion. The author states that the Lord is righteous, yet he (Israel) has rebelled against God’s command. He states that he is distressed and is in torment (my horrible headache) within. In his heart he is disturbed for he (Israel/the church) has been most rebellious. Because of his many sins, his groans are many and his heart is faint. Our friend expressed some of those same feelings. My response to her was that Jesus came to set her free, that he will forgive her and that because of his grace and mercy, she can begin again. I told her that the Lord did that for me, which I believe was symbolized this morning by this horrible headache that God delivered me from as I chose to reject the headache and to respond in obedience to the Lord by writing what he gave me to write even though everything within my flesh just wanted to crawl back under the covers.
So, if you identify with “prone to wander” or you are presently wandering from God, I pray that today you would repent, turn from your sin and turn back to God in faith and obedience. I pray that you will say to God, “Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.” I pray that you will call on God for his grace and mercy and that you will find his deliverance. I trust that you will find those “streams of mercy” that are “never ceasing” flooding over your sin and over your pain. I told my friend that she needed to close the door to her past and that she needed to let God give her a new beginning. I told her that God does have a future for her, and I pray that she finds that hope and that future in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Check out this news commentary about a storm, God’s judgment and sin: VirtueOnline - News - As Eye See It - The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality - John Piper
The basic theme of this hymn, I believe, is God’s grace and mercy which sought us even when we were strangers to God. The sub-theme of this song is the wandering heart of man – prone to wander from the fold of God; to leave the God we love. Yet, even though we have wandered or are presently wandering from God, he longs to bring us back into his fold and he longs to show us his grace and mercy. The key is in the last phrase of this hymn where the author states: “Here’s my heart, O take and seal it…” We have to give our hearts to God unreservedly. We have to let go and let God. This is what I told our friend last night.
This chapter in Lamentations 1 explains why the people are suffering as they are. It is because of her many sins. It is because of her wandering. Wandering from God appears to be central here and only second in theme to God’s grace and mercy. The church in the USA, I believe, has sinned and has wandered greatly from God, and so she has become unclean. Her filthiness is clinging to her skirts and she is not considering her future. The author is calling upon God now to look upon his (Israel’s) affliction. It is a call for mercy.
The author then becomes a personification of Jerusalem (Israel). I believe my sinus headache from this morning and the pain I was feeling parallels what the author is expressing here. I believe a storm is coming to the USA and that it is going to cause grave suffering. V. 14 describes how I was feeling with this headache, only it relates the suffering to the sins of Israel. He states that his sins have been bound into a yoke and that they have come upon his neck and the Lord has sapped his strength. That is definitely how I was feeling this morning. And, I cried to God for mercy and he lifted the pain and suffering.
Then, the subject moves to the theme of rebellion. The author states that the Lord is righteous, yet he (Israel) has rebelled against God’s command. He states that he is distressed and is in torment (my horrible headache) within. In his heart he is disturbed for he (Israel/the church) has been most rebellious. Because of his many sins, his groans are many and his heart is faint. Our friend expressed some of those same feelings. My response to her was that Jesus came to set her free, that he will forgive her and that because of his grace and mercy, she can begin again. I told her that the Lord did that for me, which I believe was symbolized this morning by this horrible headache that God delivered me from as I chose to reject the headache and to respond in obedience to the Lord by writing what he gave me to write even though everything within my flesh just wanted to crawl back under the covers.
So, if you identify with “prone to wander” or you are presently wandering from God, I pray that today you would repent, turn from your sin and turn back to God in faith and obedience. I pray that you will say to God, “Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.” I pray that you will call on God for his grace and mercy and that you will find his deliverance. I trust that you will find those “streams of mercy” that are “never ceasing” flooding over your sin and over your pain. I told my friend that she needed to close the door to her past and that she needed to let God give her a new beginning. I told her that God does have a future for her, and I pray that she finds that hope and that future in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Check out this news commentary about a storm, God’s judgment and sin: VirtueOnline - News - As Eye See It - The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality - John Piper
