Jeremiah viewing the landscape of Israel now laments over the people and records, “The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all its palaces, He has destroyed its strongholds… He has destroyed His appointed meeting place…. The Lord has rejected His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered into the hand of the enemy The walls of her palaces...” Lamentations 2:5-7 partial
Israel thought of itself as strong, rich, and full of religious wealth. For hundreds of years the nation stood strong, but they had forgotten God. The nation worshiped created things instead of Creator God. They did things to please themselves instead of pleasing God. Now the things they worshiped were left desolate. Yet Jeremiah laments for them still. Where do you think the heart of Jeremiah came from?
The grace of God is evident over the nations. He continues to pursue people. He is longsuffering not willing that any should perish. He wants all to come to repentance. So much so the Father eventually sent His son Jesus who willingly gave His life a ransom for many.
The Lord wants the nations to worship Him, and He is worthy to be worshiped. We need to take our eyes off the created and put them on our Creator and live to please God and not ourselves. This begins with us as individuals and is propelled forward by the working of the Holy Spirit through the church.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.