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Day 360 (Lamentations 2:13-17) How will I console you? To what will I liken you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What will I compare with you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is spread wide as the sea; who can heal you? Your prophets showed you false and deceptive visions. They did not uncover your iniquity, to bring back your captives, but envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. All who pass by clap their hands at you; they hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem. “Is this the city called ‘The perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth’?” All your enemies opened their mouths against you; they hissed and gnashed their teeth. They said, “We swallowed her up! Surely, this is the day we waited for; we found it; we saw it!” The LORD did what He purposed; He fulfilled His word which He commanded in days of old. He threw down and did not pity. He caused an enemy to rejoice over you; He exalted the horn of your adversaries. What do you do when someone keeps a promise you perceived as a threat? You didn’t think they would ever follow through, yet the time came when they did. God warned Israel and Judah for many hundreds of years through His prophets that He would punish them and send them into captivity because of their disobedience. The time came and He fulfilled His promise and sent them out of their land into captivity. When He did the nations looked on in astonishment at what He did and scoffed at Jerusalem, the city that was supposed to be the joy of the earth and rejoiced at her destruction. As Christians, do you ignore the warnings caused by your behavior? Do you think nothing will happen when you disobey what God directs you? You are not exempt from God’s punishment. Just as He did to His chosen people, He will do to you and the only people enjoying your punishment are those who don’t know God or Jesus your Savior. They will scoff and make fun of your trouble. They will laugh and enjoy your trouble. You can do one of two things. You can ignore what people say and keep sinning against God, or you can fall on your knees, repent of your disobedience, and get back into fellowship with God. It’s your choice. One will bring great joy to those who rejoice at your trouble, the other will bring you great joy in your forgiveness. Israel ignored God’s threats of punishment and went into captivity to the glee of the nations surrounding them. Don’t let someone rejoice over your trouble. Repent and find the joy of the Lord once again through forgiveness. Let’s pray: Father, forgive me for my disobedience to You. I don’t want to be the cause of someone else’s joy because I ignored You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 8 July 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay