Read Lamentations 1:1-11 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. How did Jeremiah describe Jerusalem before its destruction?
2. What did Jerusalem look like after its destruction?
3. What feelings did the people in the city experience?
Reflect
God appointed Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, to call out the Israelites in Jerusalem, but at every turn, he was ignored, rejected, and abused. Because of Israel’s continued and unrepentant disobedience, God fulfilled what He’d warned He would do. To move His people to repentance, He allowed an enemy nation, Babylon, to destroy their capital city, Jerusalem, and take the survivors into exile.
This week, we’ll read most of the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah’s poems of grief, and his pleas for God’s help, which he wrote after seeing Jerusalem’s devastation. With pain this deep, Lamentations gives us the space to come honestly before God, bringing Him our true thoughts and feelings. We don’t have to put on a brave face or pretend to be okay when we’re with our Father.
As you read Lamentations, you might find yourself relating to Jeremiah’s feelings or experiences. If you do, remember that you’re not alone. As God was with Jeremiah to hear every cry of pain, God is with you. Psalm 46:1 says that He’s your refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Respond
Do you relate to what Jeremiah expressed in Lamentations, or did the passage bring to mind someone you know who’s suffering? If you’re relating to Jeremiah, spend some time in prayer asking God to show you His presence, to remind you of His great love for you and His nearness to you. If you’re thinking of someone who needs comfort, spend some time in prayer asking God to show you how to best be there for them.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm and needs immediate assistance, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.