The Wandering Servant
Lamentations 1:7 In the days of her affliction and wandering (Jerusalem) remembers all the treasures that were hers in the days of old…
Some words of the English dictionary cause me to stop and ponder. Like words ‘wander’ and ‘wonder’, both pronounced the same with different meanings. I can roam about vicariously feeling uncertain where to take the next step. Too, have an intense feeling of awe. More often than not, I find myself being the ‘wanderer’ vs the ‘wonderer’.
Most days I can lose my focus and began to wander. That is life—driven by circumstance, going from one chore, or task with no direction. Do you find yourself easily getting off course? I have good intent to sit, pray, listen, read and write. Something seems to draw me away. A distraction out the window, a call to check my phone, you know the little incessant ding—“got to check my email, the featured news article, the friend’s text”. More times than not, I put God on hold. I had good intent to wait to hear His voice, but the beckoning of the insistent tone wins out.
Today, I choose to drown the distractions. I make a choice to refrain and remain in Him. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Jeremiah, an Old Testament prophet sets an example of remaining in His presence. Throughout Lamentations chapter 1 and 2 the prophet reveals the outcome of losing focus—the devastation of a nation. As the nation lost focus of the goodness of God, her greatness was in demise-a deserted city, desolate gateways. Could this be a parallel to the current state of Our Nation?
As Jeremiah sits and waits before the Lord, He sees His goodness and mercy. It is in lamentations 3:22 Jeremiah says because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail., vs 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; vs 32 Though He brings grief , He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.
A prayer: (based on Lam. 2:19) Lord God be merciful to us, we cry out to YOU. Hear our cries at night, we pour out our hearts like water in YOUR presence, Lord. We lift up our hands to you for the lives of our children, our families, and our nation. We surrender our lives to you. We repent for polluting your name and wandering off course, turning to false gods instead of You. We again lift our hands and praise Your great name and stand in ‘wonder’ and awe of you. Hear our cries OH GOD! Help us to remember how good your treasures are and return to You. Help me to wander no longer, but to stand in wonder and awe of your goodness and mercy.