As the captives were being led away from the smoking heap of rubble that was Jerusalem, one of the Babylonian commanders sought out Jeremiah and set him free. Evidently Jeremiah’s reputation as a prophet had preceded him and the Babylonians did not want to mess with a man who had predicted the things that were now happening. Even though he was set free this was undoubtedly a sad moment for Jeremiah. He had witnessed unspeakable atrocities in the siege and fall of Jerusalem all of which could have been avoided if the people had heeded his message. Now he watches most of the survivors being led off into captivity and he is left with a small remnant to live among the ruins of his beloved homeland. It was at this time that he writes the book of Lamentations. I find this book to be one of the most moving parts of the Bible. It is a book that should resonate with everyone who has seen great moves of God, thriving churches, and zealous Christians lose their former glory and diminish to a remnant. The imagery is illustrative and evocative and when you read it you may find yourself seeing beyond the circumstances of Jeremiah’s time into circumstances around you. Lamentations is a book that helps us to grieve things lost, whatever that loss may be. It validates our need to grieve, and it even suggests that the way forward is through the valley of grief itself.
Reflect on your own losses.
Read Jeremiah 40:1-6 & Lamentations 1
