ODB: Grieving From A to Z
November 14, 2011
God allows sorrows and tears today to open our hearts to the joys of tomorrow.
READ: Lamentations 3:25-33
Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion. —Lamentations 3:32
Jerusalem was engulfed in flames, and the prophet Jeremiah wept. His prediction of divine judgment had largely gone unheeded. Now his terrible prophecy had come to pass with horrifying vividness. The short book of Lamentations records the prophet’s grieving process over the destruction of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah organized the book around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, using a technique of alphabetic acrostics to aid the reader in memorizing the passages more easily. But using this technique also shows that he didn’t cut short his grieving process. He took deliberate and intentional time to reflect upon and even to write down his heartbreak. You might say he was learning to grieve from A to Z.
In the midst of his grief, the comfort of God surfaced. Reminders of God’s sovereignty and goodness gave the prophet hope as he faced the future: “The Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies” (Lam. 3:31-32).
If you’ve recently experienced a painful loss, remember to take adequate time to grieve and to reflect upon God’s goodness. Then you will be able to experience His comfort and hope for the future.
— Dennis Fisher
Source: Our Daily Bread
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS FeedRelated
ODB: Healing from Heaven
October 3, 2011 READ: 2 Corinthians 1:1-10 Blessed be . . . the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. —2 Corinthians 1:3 Thomas Moore (1779–1852) was an Irish songwriter, singer, and poet. His talents brought joy to many who saw him perform or who sang his music. Yet, tragically, his personal life was [...]
ODJ: dying to live
June 23, 2011 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh. . . . We want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life (2 Corinthians 5:4). READ: Romans 8:15-30 How’s your dad?” a colleague asked me. “Struggling to die,” I replied. My [...]
ODB: Knocked Off Your Feet?
February 16, 2012 READ: Psalm 116:1-6 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1 Because I’ve written many articles and a book about dealing with life’s losses, I have the privilege of being introduced to a number of fellow strugglers along life’s journey. One of my new friends is [...]
ODJ: jimmy joy
June 8, 2011 It happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this (v.4). READ: John 11:1-12, 23-44 When my friend Jimmy’s cancer returned for the fourth time, he made a choice. Though he knew the path ahead would be difficult (another invasive, painful surgery inside his [...]
Christian Courses
Day Of Discovery
Discover The Word
Discovery Series
Help For My Life
My Utmost For His Highest
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Journey
RBC Ministries
WarungSateKaMu
Manasociety
雅米
Prophet Jeremiah reminded me of the consequences of sin which I shouldn’t take it likely. During Jeremiah’s time, the nation of Israel sinned against God and they were suffering for what they deserved. However, for pains that we cannot provide good explanation it will be more challenging to accept and hardly see any goodness from it.