The Seeds of Yesterday

9/9/2009

Lamentations 1.9 “…She did not consider her future.” NASB

Powerfully poignant is the picture painted by the words of Jeremiah in Lamentations. Jerusalem, the crown jewel of Judah’s culture, lies in smoldering ruins and I can imagine the prophet sitting up on the Mount of Olives overlooking the devastation and mourning not just the loss of the city, but the loss of a kingdom and a culture that was started by God and now looks more like a landfill. She brought it on herself because she did not consider the future result of her past actions.

What happens when we live only for today? What happens when we give no future thought to our present actions, preferences, or to dealing seriously with our habitual sins? At some point the party will be over and then what?

God expects His children to live circumspectly – that’s what Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5.15 (see the KJV for the usage of that word). I see now at my age and stage, I’ve largely ignored that warning and now live having to eat the harvest of the seeds of yesterday.

Jeremiah’s words had a chilling effect upon me because I sit where I am today as a result of yesterday’s decisions; realizing I never seriously considered what effect they’d have on my tomorrows. I do now, but what’s done is done. I can count on the Lord for some measure of restoration but I still have to eat the bitter fruit of the consequences of my actions and attitudes toward life. The good news is, I see it now – not too long ago, I was blind as a brick…

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for Your grace and goodness and for steadfastly caring for me in the midst of my lack of consideration for the future. I simply commit to follow You as You lead me through and help me to learn so that somehow, I may help others and we all may become one in You – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.