SHALOM🙏
Blessed to be a Blessing to the Blessed People 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

There’s no one to comfort Zion
(Lamentations Chapter One)

In today’s reading portion it is mentioned that “Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean ” (v 8) and the “roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her Appointed Feasts” (v 4). Usually Jews used to flock to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the great religious festivals but now all that has stopped. The city seems to be locked down:
📌 The priests mourn because the temple has been destroyed.
📌 The young women can no longer contribute their songs and dances to the ritual festivities, and so they mourn along with the priests (1:4 ; 2: 10)
📌 The people recognised that their enemies are now their masters (v 5)
📌 Once they were great (Queen) among the nations but now they become slave (v 1)
📌 Overwhelmed by sorrow, the city cannot find refreshment in sleep (.. she weeps at night.. v 2)
📌 THERE IS NO ONE TO COMFORT HER in these hours of crisis (v 2)

📝 The phrase ” there is no one to COMFORT her / me ” appears five times (v 2,9,16,17,21).
WHY❓
1️⃣ The God of all comfort who comforts the people during the time of Isaiah (40:1-2) has rejected them because of their sins (v 5, 8,14, 22)
2️⃣ “Her lovers and her friends ” have betrayed her (v 2b)
3️⃣ All her priests and the elders have perished while searching for foods (v 19).

THE CITY LAMENTS:
1️⃣ her priests groan v 4b
2️⃣ her young women grieve v 1:4c
3️⃣ her children have gone into exile v 1:5
4️⃣ her princes.. find no pasture v 6
5️⃣ her people have fallen into enemy’s hands v 7
6️⃣ her people groan v 11
7️⃣ her young men are crushed v 15b
8️⃣ her children are destitute v16c
9️⃣ her young men and young women have been carried off into exile v 18

📌 The people of Jerusalem did two noble things:
✅ The City CONFESSES (v 18a)
📝 The Bible says: “If we CONFESS our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness ” 1John 1:9

✅ The City PRAYS (v 20-22)
📝 The Bible says: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and PRAY and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land ” 2Chronicles 7:14

💞 Beloved Church, this book reminds us that when our hearts cry out in deepest pain, we are heard. Come to Christ and he will give you peace and rest.

📌 The God of all comfort will comforts us in all our sufferings / troubles (2Cor 1:3-6)
Suffering is our call to LOOK INWARD for a spirit of repentance and to LOOK UPWARD to find our sufficiency in God.

Glory to God 🙌
✍🏽 Mark Boje, ArP 🇮🇳