Lamentations. Boy, that is for sure. After the disastrous destruction of Jerusalem pretty much all that could be done was 'lament.' I think the lesson for us today though is that we would acknowledge our own sin. I think we should learn to describe not only our shortcomings but the resultant chaos as well.
The interesting thing about Lamentations is that it was carefully thought out as a poetic writing. The first four chapters of Lamentations are acrostics - rather than random writing (as seen here) each of the verses start with a specific character of the Hebrew alphabet. So what this means is that the writer didn't just sit down and start belly-aching about troubles. No! This was carefully planned and thought-out. Perhaps a lesson for us is to meditate on our own shortcomings so that we fully comprehend their destructive results. Maybe? I know we must not slip off into condemnation and depression or feeling sorry for ourselves, but... we cannot ignore our sin either. I would like to hear some other thoughts on this...
Philemon is a short little book with a very large story. The transformed life is described to some degree here. Paul is confident of Onesimus' changed heart as a run-a-way slave and is urging his believer owner to accept him back as a new man... a changed man, a brother in Christ!
Not only is the 'Philemon facet' of the story important, but that of Onesimus is as well; Paul is urging him to return to his master! Paul is encouraging Onesimus to right that which is wrong - even prior to his conversion to Christianity. There is much for us to consider here!
God help me to consider my wrongdoing and its consequences. Help me Lord to respond properly to my new life in Jesus Christ and do the right thing. And, like Paul, help me encourage others around me to follow and do that which is right... for the right reasons.
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