Jeremiah 9:17-22

17 Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Consider and call for the mourning women,
That they may come;
And send for skillful wailing women,
That they may come.
18 Let them make haste
And take up a wailing for us,
That our eyes may run with tears,
And our eyelids gush with water.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion:
‘How we are plundered!
We are greatly ashamed,
Because we have forsaken the land,
Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’”
20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O women,
And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;
Teach your daughters wailing,
And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.
21 For death has come through our windows,
Has entered our palaces,
To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!
And the young men—no longer on the streets!
22 Speak, “Thus says the LORD:
‘Even the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on the open field,
Like cuttings after the harvester,
And no one shall gather them.’”
Jeremiah 9:17-22 NKJV

I do not relate to the hiring of mourners and the tumult that was evidently a norm for funerals in Judah at the time of Jeremiah and evidently through much of the time periods of the Bible. I am used to more quiet mourning in my culture. The people of Jeremiah's day could relate much better with the imagery of Jeremiah's words as he describes what should be the reaction to the messages of doom upon Judah. They should have been greatly ashamed because their sin and wickedness had removed God's protections and now death, calamity, and captivity was coming upon them. We too should mourn the coming judgment upon the wicked. Each day most of this world chooses to obey someone other than the true God.Destruction will be the final result if they do not turn and choose to follow God. This is a sad thought for me, but how much sadder it must be for the God who loves each one. The sadness and grief we feel at the unexpected loss of loved ones cannot compare to the grief and sadness God must feel for those who choose death over life. Yet He rejoices for each one who chooses life over death. His justice calls for death on all sinners, but His love and mercy calls for life for all who choose to accept His forgiveness and a new heart of love.

Lord,
Help me today to choose Your life. Help me to be Your servant to share Your love and word of Your salvation so that all may choose You. Give me the wisdom, strength, and power to fulfill Your mission in my life. Let me be Your hands and feet and share the blessing You have given me with those to whom You send me.