August 8, 2025 -Wailing

JEREMIAH 8:4-11:23

Chronological Bible Readings

Jeremiah 9:17 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come;

    send for the most skillful of them.

18 Let them come quickly

    and wail over us

till our eyes overflow with tears

    and water streams from our eyelids.

19 The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

    ‘How ruined we are!

    How great is our shame!

We must leave our land

    because our houses are in ruins.’”

20 Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;

    open your ears to the words of his mouth.

Teach your daughters how to wail;

    teach one another a lament.

At this point in reading all these prophets I don't expect to get much to relate to but today it is not in the same context as being a nation out of line with God that is being punished but these words speak to me. I have had a hard couple of days. I am not one to get easily stressed but when I do it goes to my stomach and head. I usually don't realize that I am feeling stressed until it has that physical effect on me. Yesterday I realized that the last few days my stomach has been acting up and I even tried to think about what might be stressing me out and couldn't come up with anything other than being overly busy. Without going into some long story, I then got pulled over and cited yesterday for an expired registration on my new car that I just bought in January. (soooo much more to this story) The same new care that I had to take to the dealer for the 5th time to fix things that they said they fixed before. I woke up feeling tired and sad. I took a little Jesus with me to remind me to be kind and gracious when I have to tell the shop that what they said was fixed wasn't. I have felt like crying most of the day. I was talking to myself about trusting God and knowing that he has it all under control. All these things I believe but it doesn't take away the stress of dealing with what all I need to do. I am also not one to cry on someone's shoulder until I lose it. These verses made me think that it is okay to ask someone to cry with you and for you. Maybe having some to cry with would help me to get it out of my system. My mind tells me no it will just make you more tired and keep you thinking about it all. But I would not be the only person who loves God with their whole heart who needs to lament at times. I think that tonight I may have a good old lamenting cry and release all this stress to God. I just wish I could have someone else do the crying for me.

Jeremiah 9:23 This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom

    or the strong boast of their strength

    or the rich boast of their riches,

24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:

    that they have the understanding to know me,

that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,

    justice and righteousness on earth,

    for in these I delight,”

declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 10:6 No one is like you, Lord;

    you are great,

    and your name is mighty in power.

What I did do today that helped was go outside and walk and talk to God. Not my normal prayer time but one where I boasted to God about his greatness over and over. His power over all these situations. His power over my mind, body and soul. His power over the hands and hearts of others. I cried as I asked the Spirit to change me and as I did the wind began to blow over me very strongly. I was able to stand with my hands out and face lifted into the wind and I could feel the physical symptoms of my stress leave my body at least for a while. It was a beautiful answer to prayer. I cannot boast in my strength right now but I can boast in His. I thank God that I have the understanding to know Him, His kindness, justice and righteousness.