Lamentations 2

Lamentations 2:13-14 ESV

What can I say for you, to what compare you,
O daughter of Jerusalem?
What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you,
O virgin daughter of Zion?
For your ruin is vast as the sea;
who can heal you?
Your prophets have seen for you
false and deceptive visions;
they have not exposed your iniquity
to restore your fortunes,
but have seen for you oracles
that are false and misleading.

This chapter is primarily a description of the horrific destruction of  Jerusalem. In the middle of this destruction we find verse 14, " Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions..." I wonder how things might have been different if the "prophets" of Judah had spoken the true word of God rather than their "feel good" messages that led to this destruction. I wonder how much of the moral slide of my own country is the result of that same thing. I wonder how many of my own lessons and sermons have fallen into the feel good category rather than the truth category.

Truth isn't always comfortable. We don't always welcome truth. We like to live in our deception. We prefer our illusions of wellness. Messages that question our presuppositions, challenge our methods and motives, and expose our selfish inward looking approach to life are not fun to listen to. They rock us to our core and expose really nasty stuff that we prefer to ignore. But, a man with pneumonia doesn't get well because he sits at home pretending he's not sick. A woman with breast cancer isn't told by her physician, "Go home. Pretend that you're well and you'll live a long and healthy life." Doctors regularly are required to speak hard truth in order to save lives. What would have happened if the "prophets" of Judah had done the same?

Father, may I always preach truth. May I never shy away from the hard truths of your Word. May I speak with gentleness, grace and mercy, but may I always speak truth.

By His grace,
Rick Weinert