Personal Devotions
Notes from Mark's personal Bible reading and meditation
With a goal to apply one truth from each day's reading to my life that day
Jun 29, 2025, 7:12 AM
Passage Read: Lamentations 1-4
Meditation Verses: 2:5-7
Thought
No one thought the Lord would do it, destroy His own temple. But He did. He destroyed the city and His own dwelling place. The people thought they would be safe because of the presence of the temple, but as important as it was to the Lord, the ways of the people were more important to Him. Because they did not walk in righteousness, He could not stand to live in their presence, and He was willing to destroy His meeting place to make the point.
Jun 20, 2024, 2:16 AM
Passage Read: Lamentations 1-4
Meditation Verses: 4:13-16
Thought
The prophets and priests sinned against the Lord, shedding the blood of the righteous in their streets, so the people became defiled with blood. They themselves cried out that they were unclean, and the nations refused to give them refuge. But then the Lord says He scattered them and will not care for them because they did not honor priest or favor the elders. The priests were those who killed the righteous! But they were not always so. The priests did not turn away from the Lord without some incentive.
Jun 1, 2023, 10:41 AM
Passage Read: Lamentations 1-4
Meditation Verses: 3:19-23
Thought
These latter two verses are very famous and recited for comfort, but the context makes them even more tragic. In the midst of his affliction and the tragedy of the overthrow of Judah and Jerusalem, Jeremiah recognizes that the reason there is a tiny remnant left is because of the Lord's great love and His compassion that is new every morning. This is not the victory that it first seems, but recognition that despite the wickedness with which they have provoked the Lord, a remnant of Israel survives because of the Lord's compassion.
Jun 3, 2022, 8:51 AM
Passage Read: Lamentations 1-4
Meditation Verses: 3:58-62
Thought
Jeremiah goes from how good it is for a man to bear the yoke while he is young, how good it is for him to sit in silence because the Lord has done this, to the Lord seeing the judgment poured out and rising to defend and deliver His people. They deserved their punishment, they did wrong and received the due penalty. They should accept it, endure it, learn from it.