We think, Lord, about Jerusalem’s fall into hard times. This wasn't ‘just one of those things that happens.’ Your people brought it on themselves. They didn't take You seriously - but You continued to take them seriously. They ignored You, Lord, but You didn't ignore their disobedience to You. They sinned against You - and You were angry with them: ‘How the Lord in His anger has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud!’ (Lamentations 2:1). This was not just a case of glibly saying, ‘The good times will come again.’ They needed to recognize why the bad times had come: ‘The Lord has... carried out His threat’ (Lamentations 2:17). Lord, You had warned Your sinful people. Judgment was on its way - if they refused to listen to You. Now, in the time of You judgment, You are still calling us back to Yourself: ‘Cry aloud to the Lord!...’ (Lamentations 2:18-19). Help us, Lord, to return to You.
Lord, help us never to think, “We are blessed because we are obedient.” Help us always to say, “We are blessed because You love us and Jesus died for us.” Your love for us, Jesus’ death for us: This is where the blessing comes from – and it’s where our obedience comes from! We think of Your great love for us. We think of Jesus, crucified for us. We say, “Lord, You love me. Help me to love You.” We say, “Jesus, You died for me. Help me to live for You.” This is how Your blessing comes to us – You show us how much You love us, You put Your love into our hearts, the obedience grows stronger – and so does the blessing!
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