*DAILY ⓂANNA* DECEMBER, 2022*SHOW GODLY SORROW*

🗣️SHOW GODLY SORROW💫

It is advisable you read the text first

📜TEXT:LAMENTATIONS 5:7-22📜

🔑📖KEY VERSE: "Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation" (LAMENTATIONS 5:19).

At the breach of God's law a triangular line is drawn. The first stroke represents the transgression. Next is another stroke symbolising the punishment for sin. A third line comes up at the bottom to complete the triangle, standing for man's reaction to the second line. How does the punished person respond? Is the sinner accepting guilt and showing godly sorrow? Or is it a litany of lamentation and accusations against heaven?

Judah suffered the penalty of captivity in Babylon following their idolatrous practices that contravened the commandments of the Lord. The story of the untold misery they experienced as the Chaldean invaders overwhelmed and razed Jerusalem, and took away the descendants of Jacob is vividly captured in the book of Lamentations by Jeremiah the prophet. He speaks of "terrible famine" and "the mountain of Zion, which is desolate."

However, it is not all a narrative of complaints about the sorrow that befell the people of Judah. There is the more important step of realisation of the merciful Lord who forgives when the remorseful sinner runs to Him. He is the Lord who "remainest forever...from generation to generation." There is a repentant plea to Him, "Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old."

God indeed answered the supplication of the Jews as He raised up the Medo-Persian Empire against their Babylonian captors. They were delivered back to their homeland. He did not utterly reject His people. Today, the Lord is watching out for those who, after going astray, would humbly retrace their steps into His waiting arms like the prodigal son.

✍🏽THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Godly sorrow cancels the misery sin brings.

📜THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 26-29📜

   *MEDITATION*

It is in your hands

1. Avoidable woes
After repeated warnings and uncommon patience exhibited by God, His wrath eventually fell on His own people Judah. This shows the impartiality of God of justice when dealing with His people and unbelievers.

Questions
a. What was the main cause of terrible woes that came upon them?, vv7,16.
b. Carefully reflect on the woes and analyse how it affected every aspect of their daily lives, vv8-18🤔

Many woes happen to individuals, communities and His church. In most cases only the spiritually enlightened are able to track it to divine judgements as against other reasons the carnal mind always try to propound.

2. Advanced wisdom
a. The prophet was able to identify the main cause, which was sin: past sins of their predecessors coupled with their present sins, vv7,16.
b. He confessed their woes without using any bold face and went further, with a broken heart, to acknowledge their sins with full confession.
c. It was a prayer that appeared almost too late because it was made after their captivity, but confession and repentance are never too late with God. They were eventually restored to their land and prosperity after they persistently held on to God even though it took many years. That is hope for all backsliders, vv20,21.
d. What is the special character of God in v19?

The only wisdom recognised in heaven for sinners or backsliders is to be sober, penitent and hold on to God for mercy after repentance; and no repentance is too late. The repentance may be personal, corporate and national depending on the sin. No matter how far or fallen, God is ever near depending on your attitude👌

Question
How wise are you? How have you been responding to repeated warnings and corrections from God?

Prayer points
Give praises to God for His mercy and compassion that fail not🙏
Ask God for a broken spirit that will never tolerate or underplay any sin as small or unimportant🙏
Ask God to make you wise in always recognising the cause, the effect and the solution to any woe surrounding you🙏
Ask God to give all His children contrite and mourning spirit in the midst of sins in the church and your community🙏

HYMN: Nearer my God to Thee
Remember the content a got from the DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY daily-manna in October

[Source of the content]: Daily Manna