Thoughts for another day

Mar. 20, 2008

Today's verse: Lament. 5:21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

For most Christians, the last few days have been days of remembrance and remorse. Each year the Church sets apart days (called Lent) to remember the passion and death of Jesus Christ, which culminate into the joyous event of Resurrection; because if resurrection weren’t there, our faith would be in vain St Paul says.

And so, many of us do things that tell the Lord we are touched by the great sacrifice He made of laying down His own life in order that we may secure our own. Some deny the things they love, like meat, chocolates, etc. Some even engage in prayer and refrain from food. All this is good. But there is another good we must strive to do: that is to renew our spirit. To turn a new leaf and be different, in the sense, if we were known to be rough, we change and become gentle and so on. This is very difficult to accomplish and it is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that we can do it.

Reading the verse above, we find the author of the Book of Lamentations, praying the Lord to turn them unto Him and renew their days as it was in the days of old. It is a cry escaping lips that are weary with the retribution God has sent. You see, the Israelites, were severely punished for all the sins they committed. The Temple was destroyed - that Temple they held as a guarantee of safety, and they were exiled from their own land, reduced to the state of slaves. They, who once esteemed themselves as people of the Most High, were now biting the dust.

The cry made here is one of sincere remorse, coming from a wounded spirit, which one anguished in the heart alone, could make. Today, on the threshold of Good Friday, I believe it’s time for us to cry out and pray the Lord to turn us to Him and renew our relationship. We have to let bygones be bygones, turn a new leaf and re-engage with the Lord. It is possible now as the stream of Grace comes down upon us even as our hearts are rend with the sorrow we feel at what the Lord did for us juxtaposed to the miserable lives we lead! Let’s for the Lord’s sake do it today. Amen.