A FOUNTAIN OF TEARS
Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 9-10
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
The desolation of one of the ancient streets of Laodicea (in present day Turkey). Today’s reading tells us of Jerusalem becoming “A heap of ruins” (Jeremiah 9:11a).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Jeremiah 9:1
Oh, that my head were waters,
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
Jeremiah experienced the broken heart of God and he wept! “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), and He also wept over Jerusalem! Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34). The sorrow of Jeremiah is over, but the sorrow of Jesus, because He is alive and He sees all, continues to this very day. Jesus’ compassion continues in His mercy and willingness to forgive us our sins. If we have caused Him to weep over us currently, turn back to Him now. One of the most often repeated verses in the Bible is, “His mercy endures forever” (the entire 136th Psalm).
According to my son-in-law, Rev. Nizar Shaheen, who reads the Old Testament in the original languages, Jeremiah 10:11 is not in Hebrew but in the universal language of the time, Aramaic. Jeremiah wanted all nations to know that their gods would perish! It was believed that these gods controlled the heavens and the earth, but Jeremiah proclaimed that the Lord God of Israel, the sole Creator of the universe, has sovereign control of it all (read again Jeremiah 10:11-13).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God of Jeremiah, I recognize that You, and You alone, are the great Creator, and that You, and You alone, took upon Yourself my sin and wrong when You suffered on the Cross. I weep over my sin and over the sin of the world. May I, like Jeremiah, proclaim Your Truth and Your Mercy to the world around me in a way that people can understand. I pray in the Name of the Saviour Who wept over the needs of all people, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I stood in amazement on the street in front of the Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, as I heard a young priest preaching at the top of his voice that the terrible famine which had devastated the country was the result of the people turning away from God. He did this despite the risk in a country with an atheistic, communist government that had seized power and executed all male members of the family of the late Emperor Haile Selassie. This young man was fearless! He also proclaimed that if the people would turn back to God, He would have mercy on them. Crossroads raised, with matching funds from the Canadian Government, over 7 million dollars for the Ethiopian famine relief. I have no doubt that we were a part of the answer to the weeping prayers of the Ethiopian people. In fact, it was the tears of a former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, who was seen to weep on the national Canadian news as he visited Ethiopia on his way home from the funeral of Indira Ghandi of India. There was an immediate initiative to act and give to help save lives.
“The Wailing Wall” is pictured below. Here, Jews and some non-Jews pray and sometimes weep and wail because of the destruction of Jerusalem. The word “wailing” is repeated three times in today’s reading. Several times during my life, in times of great crisis, I have experienced “wailing,” but not when anyone could hear me. After the death of loved ones in the Middle East, one can often hear the sound of wailing. The people are not ashamed of expressing their extreme grief. These people say that we who live in the west do not know how to grieve properly in order to express our pain. We do tend to keep it all inside and psychologists tell us that failure to express our deep grief is emotionally harmful.
Yours for genuine sorrow for our sins and for those things that break God’s heart!
David
Our former Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, at the “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem.
We come before You, Lord God, and glorify Your Holy Name. For You are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. You are Jehovah Rapha, the God of Healing. Jehova Jireh, the God of Provision. We are nothing without You, but everything with You. For the sins of the world and the fallen are forgiven when they cry out in repentance and claim Your Holy Name. To You do we owe all the honour and glory. And it is to You that we worship, bow down and praise Your Mighty Name. Amen, amen, and amen. Wishing all saints a blessed day in the Lord.
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Psalm 130:5 NIV
Gateway Worship – We cry out (HD with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqrPMDVcBAs&list=RDUqrPMDVcBAs#t=0
Amen to that prayer, Beverlee!
There is so much to “glean” from today’s Scripture reading.
Oh, may we cry out to You, Oh Lord on behalf of ourselves and others. Do not treat us as our actions deserve, but according to Your loving kindness and Mercy!
We bless and honor you, the ONLY true God!
Blessings to all fellow bloggers!
Amen, Luisa!!!
Amen, Beverlee!
Amen Beverlee. Have experienced that wailing in the Spirit that David speaks about in his blog. We cry out to you Lord Jesus to save our families and stand upon Your Word of promises. You are faithful Lord. Quiet day in this part of the Maritimes today. God bless you saints and answer your prayers.
Luke 19.41
Amen Ger I pray for my family as well. The weather man says on P.E.I there is a storm coming Tuesday it always changes though you never know for sure.
God Bless
Lianne Hogg
These devotional words and photos have brought so much learning and more depth of insight for me. I treasure this daily. Is there ever going to be a book with these words/devotions,along with these photos. If so I would love one to treasure always. Thank you so much for sharing your words and photos. I am sorrowful that this great man is no longer on earth;but praise God , David is with Him now!
Thank You, Lord God, for these brave and courageous ones, including Jesus himself, who spoke truth, no matter how unpopular it was. Please bless and strengthen those today who are speaking, and living, truth in this crooked and perverse generation. Please help all your people – the living stones in the church You are building – to be people of Truth, of honour, of kindness, of love; filled with your joy, peace, patience, and goodness. Please help us to be faithful to You and to the trust people have put in us. Help us to honour You in all we do and say.
Thank You for your desire to make us more like Jesus every day. Please help us to submit to your will. Today. And please raise up godly leaders in this country who will stand up unashamedly for You and for the people and things You care about. In Jesus’s great name, amen
Amen, Rob!
Amen , Rob !
Amen Rob!
I find it very comforting that the Lord is cleaning up North America, God bless all those who have come forward and spoke of their issues with sexual abuse! They are very strong people and I praise the Lord for giving these people the strength and courage to come forward! Now that the evil is being exposed, I thank the Lord that this will be a good example for up coming leaders!
God knows and sees everything! I ask the Lord to make available counselling sessions and that people would come to the Lord, confess their sins and receive forgiveness.
I thank God that He will be available for parents in helping them raise their children to be productive, happy, secure, Holy Spirit filled children.
I thank God for all this exposure that may help some people to start coming to church or to renew their faith.
I thank God for all the darkness to be brought into the Light, I ask the Lord to grant healing to those who need this to happen in their lives, I thank God that He will provide comfort and mercy and grace to all who call upon His Name in Jesus Name we Pray amen
Regardless of the hurt and agony that has happened, God will make good things happen in people’s lives. TY Lord amen
Your photos are great as they emphasize today’s scriptures. Thank you for posting them. David’s expressed the emotions of the weeping prophet, Jeremiah.
Lord I pray that my heart would be in tune with your heart, both in joy and in sorrow. Jesus wept!!
Lord I pray for your continue hand of love and comfort on Norma-Jean Mainse and the entire family, strengthen them in all they do! Jesus, I pray, Amen!!