Scripture Reading : Lamentation 4
Theme : Great Suffering
In this chapter, Jeremiah again reminds the exiles the sins of Israel and their suffering in order to emphasize the need to repent and seek God’s grace as stated in chapter 3. God again reiterates His promises to bring them back from exile (v. 22) and to punish Israel’s enemies who gloated over her destruction. Such reminder of judgment and promise of restoration is designed to cause the exiles to return to God. The prophet Daniel took God’s counsel and pray in such way in Daniel 9:1-19.
Praying the Scripture
The Jews did learn to some degree not to worship idols after God’s punishment. After the Jews returned from exile, they never again worshipped explicitly idols made by the hands of man. However, they did continue to worship idols in their hearts. The lesson of the fall of Jerusalem is to tell us that every person’s ultimate salvation from the sin of idolatry is in the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). The New Covenant was inaugurated by Jesus’ death and resurrection; and the power of the Spirit of the New Covenant was initiated by Jesus’ ascension (John 16:7). All who put their faith in Jesus will instantly receive a new life from the Spirit and given new power to overcome their sin of idolatry (Gal. 5:16). Praise God that He has provided your only hope of salvation from sin of idolatry and God’s wrath. Salvation is found in nothing else. Only God can give you a new heart to worship Him and find everlasting joy in Him. Pray that you will rely on the Spirit to put to death the deeds of your old self.
经文：耶利米哀歌4
主题：莫大苦楚
在这个篇章中，耶利米再次提醒被逐之民有关以色列的罪以及他们的苦难，为的是强调第三章中的信息：他们需要悔改并寻求神的恩典。神重申了祂的应许：祂必带他们回到以色列去（22节），且要惩罚以色列幸灾乐祸的敌人。神提醒他们此审判和复兴之应许的目的是要叫被逐之民归回神。先知但以理便按神的教训祷告了（参：但9:1-19）。
用经文祷告
犹太人受到了神的惩罚后在某程度上确实学到他们不可敬拜别神。犹太人被放逐回去后，他们再也没有明目张胆地敬拜人手所造之物。然而，他们心里仍然在拜偶像。耶路撒冷的沦陷所带来的教训是让人晓得脱离偶像敬拜之罪的最终救赎是在新约中（耶31:31-34）。新约的开拓是借着耶稣的死与复活而来；新约圣灵的大能则是由耶稣升天后开始彰显（约16:7）。凡信靠耶稣的即刻从圣灵得着新生命，并有全新的能力胜过偶像敬拜之罪（加5:16）。当赞美神，因为祂为你提供了脱离偶像与神震怒的唯一希望。唯有神能赐你一颗新造的心敬拜祂，并在祂里面得着永恒的喜乐。祷告你会靠着圣灵治死老我的行为。
