Rely on the Lord's Love - Lamentations 1 - 6

Most people would agree that experience is a super teacher. Students have their best and easiest opportunity to learn from any great teacher. Learning from any source, results in physical, mental and spiritual growth. Most people would also agree that suffering is an experience that everyone must face at some time in life. Therefore, since suffering is an experience, we grow from suffering and through the suffering believers can grow to be more like Christ. Since older adults usually suffer many aches and pain these truths should help us to be able to accept the discomforts of life as a part of God’s plan. If young people study and believe God’s word, they too can understand and accept the fact that their suffering can be useful in drawing them closer to God. It is another paradox in life, but joy, peace and happiness can sometimes arrive over the bumpy road of suffering. It takes faith and trust to turn a painful problem into a valuable experience.

God loved the people of this world so much that He gave his Only Son to suffer and die for their redemption. Therefore, because of God’s love and the suffering of Christ on the Cross, we have eternal salvation. At the age of accountability and on through life, it is imperative that we learn to RELY ON THE LORD’S LOVE and we must never consider our infirmities and misfortunes as punishment. Instead we should see them as building stones that help form the foundation for our faith in God and growth in service to Him and our fellow man.

Even though you agree with the facts stated above, at some time in life the question will still arise in our minds—“Why does God allow me to suffer?” Have you ever been in a difficult situation and wanted to ask, “Why me Lord?” “What did I do to deserve this?” The truth is—you may not deserve it, but it is just a warning to prevent you from doing something that would cause you to deserve it. The important question is; did you act on the warning? Or, did you react to the situation? Does personal difficulty increase or decrease your faith? I can tell you—that it depends on whether or not you believe God’s Holy Word to be Truth.

This question [“Why me Lord?”] has perplexed people throughout the ages, ever since the early trials of the Jewish people, and reached it’s zenith during the days of Jeremiah when Jerusalem and the country of Judah suffered through their destruction by the Babylonians. We must remember that God did not cause the suffering of his people; He only allowed it to take place because of their sins, especially their rejection of Him and His authority over them. In some ways it is hard to understand this concept; but the truth is that their suffering resulted from the fact that He loved them so much. In just a few hundred years, He proved this paradox by sending his Son to die for man kind, to provide freedom from fear and sorrow and make this freedom everlasting.

There are several reasons why people must suffer. In Hebrews 12: 5-11, we find that God permits suffering in order to discipline His people. In the case of Job, his suffering was a test [Job 2: 3-10]. Peter taught us that suffering will help us to grow in faith [1 Peter 4: 1-2]. It may be hard to grasp and fully understand but sometimes our suffering may benefit others who are watching our reaction to our misfortunes. Then, there is the case of Christ, who had no sin, but suffered for the sins of others [2 Cor. 5:21]. Through it all, we must simply learn to RELY ON THE LORD’S LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS. We should never feel that trials come because of our weakness, and we must always remember that the All-powerful Son of God, The Lord Jesus Christ, was there [right where we are, only worse] and his situation was so difficult that he cried out asking God why He was being forsaken. “Why have You forsaken Me?” God sustained his Son. And because of God’s faithful love for us—He sustains us in the midst of our suffering. He will not leave or forsake us!

Here is a digression in this thought process, but a true to life example of the subject, that is being addressed in this lesson. Just [a moment ago] as I finished the above paragraph, the phone rang, and the news was that two of our dear Christian friends of many years passed away today; one this morning and one early this afternoon. Our church seems to have had more than its share of losses in the last very few years, and my question is why this must happen to First Baptist in Heber?

It is hard for me to understand how a retirement community can possibly grow in numbers. In order to assist my family, I prepared a funeral arrangement document [back in 1994] that listed six honorary pall bearers, six of my best friends, and today they are all deceased. My question is; Lord, why have you honored me with longer life? In comparison to God’s time, life here on earth is like a vapor or fog; we are here for only a moment and then vanish away. Now, redirect your thoughts to Lamentations.

Following the study of the Book of Jeremiah and the fall of Judah, you must now read the short five chapters in the Book of Lamentations. You won’t regret it! In some ways it is a brief look back at what was a long story of troubles. It reviews the destruction of Jerusalem; it proclaims God’s mercy; it tells you again the consequences of sin; and best of all, it gives you a beautiful picture of our HOPE that is found only in Jesus Christ. Please read Lamentations today before you sleep tonight. I only have time to tell you briefly about the hope we have in the midst of our afflictions which is recorded in chapter 3. Our lives are reflected in the life of the author, Jeremiah.

We are people of affliction because of sin and God’s wrath against it. Life is not easy, often cruel, and we start rapidly growing old the moment we are born, and sometimes life is bitter and full of hardship. Jeremiah’s life was no bed of roses; his life rivaled that of Job’s, but he remained faithful and strong. He is a wonderful example of what we should be. But through it all in verse 21, he said that “Therefore I have hope.”…22 and on “Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They [compassions] are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

The bible teaches us that God is ultimate perfection and when he finished each phase of His creation He observed it and said “it is good.” Then sin entered and created a huge debt that was impossible for man to pay. Christ paid that sin-debt for us on the cross, but he chose to let sin continue until Salvation’s plan is completed. We must live in this world and bear our portion of the ravages of sin and remain faithful and trust God for our ultimate deliverance when Christ returns to rescue His own. What a day of rejoicing that will be! There will no longer be the question of “Why me LORD? The question will then become a positive statement…truly an announcement…’IT IS ME LORD! God’s answer will be, “Well done good and faithful servant.” The answer for some will be, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

It is sad, but some will receive an answer to their announcement