A Sad Song for Israel

A Sad Song for Israel

Ezekiel 19:1 – “And you, sing a lament for the princes of Israel, 2 – and say: “What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay among young lions; she reared her cubs. 3 – She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people. 4 – The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit. They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

The rest of the song continues with verses getting more and more sad.  It kind of reminds me of how some sad country music would sound.  The kind where the artist continues to lose everything until there’s nothing left but a sad catchy song to remind us about what can happen in life.

Are our lives doomed to become lyrics in sad songs about losing everything?  Wouldn’t Jesus have some of the saddest song sung about Him?  “He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him. He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” – Isaiah 53:2-3.

Only Jesus can turn our sad songs into songs of joy!  “But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.” – Isaiah 53:4-5.

I tell you the solemn truth, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy. 21 – When a woman gives birth, she has distress because her time has come, but when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. At that time you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete. – John 16:20-24.

There is hidden within these verses in John 16 what to ask for in order to have joyful hearts.  Ask Jesus:  “I want to see You so that my heart will rejoice with a joy that no one can take from me; a joy that no circumstance in life can rob from me.  Please turn my sad songs into songs of joy.  I know my Redeemer lives!  Make my joy complete!  Amen!