PRAY to GOD for RESTORATION and RENEWAL
August 25 Bible Reading: Lamentations Chapters 4-5
PRAY to GOD for RESTORATION and RENEWAL
"You, O Lord, remain forever;
Your throne from generation to generation. Why do You forget us forever, and
forsake us for so long a time? Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; renew our days as of old, unless You have utterly rejected us, and
are very angry with us!" (Lam 5:19-22)
The Book of Lamentations ends on a note of hope and a
powerful bit of wisdom by affirming that God remains forever (v. 19).
Jeremiah’s sadness concerning the state of Judah and the fall of Jerusalem is
ameliorated only by his awareness
that God alone remains unchangeable. Situations and circumstances may undergo
rapid change, but God is eternally on His throne. Therefore, there is cause for
hope. In spite of severe suffering because of her sin, Judah had not been
abandoned as a nation. In a final burst of faith, this prayer lays hold of
restoration and renewal in the Lord.
God’s eternal rule and reign are a hope and support during
the bleakest moments of suffering and despair (see Psalms 80:1, 2; 89:3, 4;
103:19). In the light of God’s unchanging faithfulness and righteousness (Psalms
52:1; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), Jeremiah pleads with God to act so that the
hearts of His people will be turned back to Him in godly sorrow and full
repentance. Without genuine repentance and conversion there can be no
restoration to the former relationship between God and His people!
From the book of Lamentations, we can note that the road to renewal in our lives will also
take the following steps:
- Step 1: From sin to suffering (Lam. 1:8)
- Step 2: From sorrow to repentance (Lam. 1:20)
- Step 3: From prayer to hope (Lam. 3:19–24)
- Step 4: From faith to restoration (Lam. 5:21)
Let us always remember that God’s chastening is proof that He
loves us and has not forsaken us (Heb. 12:5–11). One day, He will take us out
of the furnace and give us a new start. We will be restored and renewed if we
let Him have His way.
"Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!" (Psalms 80:3)
