A lot of people find it odd when I tell them I love studying the book of Lamentations. No joke ya’ll I’ve read the book 50+ times. I also used to listen to Green Day in high school (lol)… I find myself especially drawn to this book when I am searching for God. Does anyone else ever do that, search for God?
It sounds bizarre that someone who loves God, and believes in God to the very depths of her soul would have to go and search for Him.
But sometimes God just feels far away.
So the back story on Lamentations is, Jerusalem is falling. When I say falling, I really mean it is burning to the ground, people are getting stabbed to death, and possibly eating other people, (And you thought your life was a mess, ha!) The author of this book, which is likely Jeremiah, spends a lot of time talking about pain, sorrow, and death.
Then comes my favorite part in Lamentations 3:22-24
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him.”
Ya’ll people are dying. The city is burning to the ground. Yet, I picture the author of this book sitting in the street, maybe fallen to his knees, amidst all the dirt and grime, and ugliness, and sorrow… and he still recognizes that God is who He says He is.
I think that’s why God says, “Be still and KNOW.” Sometimes, right in the middle of your loneliness, depression, and confusion you just need to be still and prophesy some truth.
You can say it out loud like you really mean it, or you can say it out loud until you mean it. “God, I know you are here. I know you love me. I know you are good.”
It’s normal to feel like God is far away sometimes. Whether you are in a hospital, at work, at a funeral, or in the middle of a praise and worship sesh at your church…
You aren’t a bad person, and you aren’t a bad christian.
I think that’s what Jeremiah had to do. In the middle of it all, the pain, the sorrow, and the despair he had to stop and speak some truth. He had to be still, and say it out loud. His soul knew the truth. His brain just needed to hear it.
So if you’re reading this and you’re searching for God, if you’re feeling alone and without hope, and like God is out of reach and far away, speak out loud what your heart already knows.
And sometimes, if you are still enough, you might just hear Him whisper back, “I AM WITH YOU. I DO LOVE YOU. I AM GOOD.”
Simply Amber Sue 