Daily Manna

Key Verse

“Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy” (Lamentations 1:5).

TEXT — Lamentations 1:1-11

Message

The story was told of a police commander, who, in an attempt to curb the corrupt excesses of his officers, set up a special squad, and opened a special cell for those caught in the act. He was shocked that rather than discouraging offenders, his cell was filling up rapidly. So, he sought to know why this was so. He was speechless to learn that the offending officers did not regard what they did as wrong, but thought themselves unlucky to be arrested.

Numerous prophets had over the years, warned the people of Judah that their rebellious activities against God would attract His judgment sooner or later. When it came, it was very severe. Their army was defeated in battle by enemy forces. Their land was invaded and captured. Their treasures were looted. The Temple which was their pride and object of worship of the almighty God, was destroyed. Their citizens were taken captive and exiled to Babylon. Now in a foreign land, the people of Judah could only find solace in the memory of their good old days. The few people left in the land were starving and were exchanging their valuables for pieces of bread. Jeremiah who had been sent by God with the intent of dissuading them from their wayward ways was shattered. He wept and mourned endlessly for Jerusalem and his beloved fatherland. But he never lost sight of the fact that they were suffering for their sinful conduct which had attracted retribution from God.

We cannot condone our moral failures and sinful practices by blaming them on the actions of other people or simply on the circumstances of our station in life. Every transgression, including rebellion and rejection of God’s word, is the outcome of a deliberate choice made by someone. It is an offense that the Lord cannot ignore. In His holy and perfect reckoning, the ultimate consequence for sin is punishment in time, and more crucially, in eternity. The only solution is to quickly repent today and accept Christ as Saviour before it is too late.

Thought for the day

Those who reject God’s warnings will receive His wrath.

• Bible
• in one year
• Matthew 20 – 21 (Read By Alexander Scourby)