Day of Praise

Fri, 03/10/17, "Day of Praise"

"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to let them go. Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land,
but unrest to those who live in Babylon.'" - Jeremiah 50:33-34 

There is a pattern in the reading that one of my former professors, Dr. Lull, would be quick to point out.

The pattern is this: 
1) Difficulty in life (small or great),
2) Acknowledgment of one's own contribution to the matter (the more specific, the better),
3) Sincere tears to express one's sorrow for contributing to the matter (for example, "they will go in tears to seek the LORD" in Jeremiah 50:4-5),
4) Renewed confidence that God will do something about the situation to make it right (for example, "Yet their Redeemer is strong" in Jeremiah 50:34 in today's verse).

In the Bible, tears are, as my professor used to say, a consistent mark of revival and renewed confidence in the LORD.

Even Jesus, knowing he was going to raise Lazarus, shed tears at Lazarus's tomb in John 11:35 because he was not present with Lazarus when he died.

General Norman Schwarzkopf is variously quoted about tears: 
"I would never trust a man who didn't cry; he wouldn't be human."
"Any man who doesn't cry scares me a little bit." ~ H. Norman Schwarzkopf.
Desert Storm hero General Norman Schwarzkopf once said, "I don't trust a man who doesn't cry."

Professors, Generals, and the Son of God himself call us to stop and think about tears and their relation to acknowledging our humanity, accepting responsibility, and finding renewed confidence in the power of God!

Come what may today, even if it makes you feel like crying, remember and be encouraged that "[your] Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend [your] cause so that he may bring [you] rest..." - Jeremiah 50:34 

Praise God!