A CRY FOR THE CHILDREN
I have had the pleasure of working with youth for the past 8 years. Shortly after giving my heart to the Lord in 2003 I prayed a simple prayer, “Lord, If I could help just one kid to avoid going thru what I did. Please use my life.” And the Lord has given my thousands of kids to minister to over the course of my time in service to Him.
When I read Lamentations chapter one I wanted to cry because it seemed so sad to me. You see the people of Jerusalem had been taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzer. Their captivity was a result of their polytheistic worship (worshipping many gods). The people had gotten proud and self reliant. They thought that their lives we fine without serving the one true God. They believed that by incorporating other gods they would be covering all their bases. But God would have none of that, so he began warning them that unless they repented (changed their minds toward sin) then He would have to bring captivity upon so that they would get perspective so to speak and turn back Him.
In this chapter of Lamentations the people realized that not only had their poor decisions affected them but now their children were going to be raised in captivity. God told them that their captivity would last 70 years. A whole generation of children would never know freedom because of the poor choices of their parents. “For these things I weep; my eyes overflow with tears, because a comforter, one who could refresh and restore my soul, is far from me. My children are desolate and perishing, for the enemy has prevailed.” Lamentations 1:16 (AMP)
Even though it seems like this generation of children is lost we must remember that God has a plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11) No matter what hardships they are currently facing we must take responsibility for the part we have played, we must ask God to forgive us, and we must move forward teaching this generation how not to make the same mistakes we did always sharing with them in the love of Christ.
~ Lisette Rivera
