The Book Of Lamentations – Part 20 – Bearing Persecution But The Lord Provides Mercy And Compassion - Chapter 3:30-32 Series

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 20 – BEARING PERSECUTION BUT THE LORD PROVIDES MERCY AND COMPASSION - CHAPTER 3:30-32

PART [28]. HUMILITY MEANS SUBMISSION IN GOD’S WILL

{{Lamentations 3:30 “Let him give his cheek to the smiter. Let him be filled with reproach.”}}

This verse ends the 5-verse instruction given to one humbled before God, or who humbles himself before God. The application can be true for all individuals but I continue to make the two specific applications. The first is to the defeated and devastated Jews of Jeremiah’s time in the defeat of the nation, while the second application is for a follower of the Lord. We – ALL OF US - must have that same attitude, one of humbly waiting for the Lord; no pride or thoughts of self-importance.

It is akin to the attitude Paul spoke of in Philippians 2:5-11 - Philippians 2:5 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus . . . . 2:9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him . . . .”

It is not easy, even for a Christian to admit he/she is/was wrong and lay one’s self open before God. It must happen at salvation, but it also happens when we have been humbled through failure, OR, God forbid, our nation is taken over in war and we have to be submissive to our enemies. It is a cruel world and Christians experience that, so how sweet it will be when the Lord returns for His Church.

A lot of Christians in the world today are filled with reproach. Those living in Islamic nations under Satan’s Islamic law; those in Communist nations, persecuted and jailed and tortured; those in western nations dismissed from work or denied promotion, and so many other evils committed against the saints of God, these bear the reproach of Christ, but they shall shine in eternal glory one day.

{{Hebrews 10:32-33 “but remember the former days after being enlightened, when you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly, by being MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE THROUGH REPROACHES and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.”}} {{Hebrews 11:26 “CONSIDERING THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER RICHES than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”}}

How many Christians resist the importance of being submissive to the will of God? The old nature always wants to take control and hold on to it through selfishness, power surges, and self-will. It hates the concept of submission. There is this misconception that submission means being dominated and ordered around. That comes from humanism. True submission to God is actually true freedom, because the loving Lord is the guiding Shepherd and always knows best.

How many Christians are afraid to take a stand for Christ because they don’t want rejection, or the reproach of Christ to be theirs? Consider all the heroes of faith from Hebrews 11 who stood for God through mocking and beatings. That is too much for some of us. Our lives are too pampered in western culture.

Christian, what will you answer when one day you are at the judgement seat and you stand before the Christ you counted of not much value because it would have upset your lifestyle? Here are 4 lines from a poem of mine –

But what think you of Jesus Christ?

Your values - how are they then priced?

Do you count Christ of little worth -

The One who came through virgin birth?

I know some of us struggle with being brave and standing up for our faith. I understand that very well. Those who count for Christ will know the reproaches of the world because the world hates Christians, and especially committed Christians. You are either for Christ or you are against Him.

I think it helps to have some solid meditation about the sufferings of the Lord for you and to be buoyed by those. Remember too, this verse – {{John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, BUT TAKE COURAGE. I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”}} Remember also that this world is passing away but the Lord’s kingdom is forever.

There is a hymn that once spoke to God’s people but has been relegated to the past by this contemporary stuff called church music. I want to quote from it because it used to speak to people of past years (Written by Grace Reese Adkins – 3 stanzas. This is the first):-

By and by when I look on His face,

Beautiful face, thorn-shadowed face;

By and by when I look on His face,

I’ll wish I had given Him more

More, so much more —

More of my love than I e’er gave before.