Jeremiah prays for the restoration of the city of Jerusalem in this final stanza of his song of lament.
Lamentations 5: Restore Us to Yourself, O LORD
1 Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.
4 We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought.
5 Our pursuers are at our necks; we are weary; we are given no rest.
6 We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.
8 Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine.
11 Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.
13 Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music.
15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,
18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.
19 But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.
20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?
21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old---
22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.
Things to think about…
1. Jeremiah in this final 5th stanza of his song of lament pleads and asks God to look and consider His people and the city of Jerusalem. Water and food must be bought. Egypt and Assyria are supplying their need by being supplied a hand, Lam 5:6. We hear the adage of something costing an arm and a leg. Here Jeremiah uses similar terminology. Where once they had their own abundant supplies, now the city must pay for its supplies with money they did not have. They were selling the last bits of property and land to meet their basic needs.
2. He says ‘our fathers sinned…and we bear their iniquities”, Lam 5:7. This is often the case with families today. The children reap what their parents have sown into their lives. Let’s continue to pray for our children that our faith continues more boldly in their generation than ours and that our children are blessed with the Lord’s abundance – especially with the fruit of the Spirit.
3. There were no walls around Jerusalem or the other towns of Judah – they were destroyed by the Babylonians and hence the people who remained in the land were vulnerable. Jeremiah tells us the woman were raped, boys staggered carrying wood, the joy is gone, Lam 5:11-15. The reason given – “we have sinned”, vs 16. At the Lord’s table/Communion we celebrate the fact that our sin has been taken by Christ. But this is only true for those who have confessed their sin and believe in Christ. Better that Christ pay for our sin rather than ourselves.
4. Jeremiah asks “why do you forsake us for so many days”, Lam 5:20. We don’t know the timeframe here, but perhaps this was written a few years after 586BC and the people who have remained in the land have been praying for the Lord’s deliverance, yet He is not answering. We know that the Lord had determined 70 years of exile for the Jews in Babylon. No amount of praying would change the Lord’s plan. The land had to receive her Sabbaths. Jeremiah wants God to restore “unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us”, vs 22. This was not the case and we know God had already prepared the heart of king Cyrus of Persia to restore Jerusalem with its people and the temple. There are always new seasons after a period of loss. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and peace within the church.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups on Holiday break
Prayer Points
1. Pray for testimonies that people will be doing every second week. Please consider when you would like to do yours when the pastor asks you to share yours 😉
2. Pray for those on holidays and travelling.
3. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof and solar.
4. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
5. Church finances to meet our new staff and to put a roof over our café.
6. Sunday’s message from Lam 4 - “This is kinda sad.” – Pastor Jay.
Praise Points.
1. Gina’s testimony on Sunday was a great blessing and wonderfully tailored into the sermon.
2. New cell groups.
3. Praise and worship – thanks Josh, Ben, Rin, Tim, Dan and Doug. great job.
Announcements
1. Clearing Covid Conspiracies. Axiom type talk after the service on Sunday morning. After morning tea.
2. Cell groups and other ministries on break over the holidays.
3. PlayPatch starting up next term for toddlers at church. See Maddison for details.
4. Men’s brekky TBA. But will be down at Colleges Crossing within the next month or so on a Saturday morning.
5. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
