“Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. ” 2 Kings 25:1-4 NKJV
“Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. 19 Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. ” 2 Chronicles 36:17-19 NKJV
Jehovah,
‘I am who I am’. What You foretold through Jeremiah and Ezekiel, if Your people did not change their ways do happen. Warnings, warnings, warnings. Sometimes we need to be told twice and still don’t listen and we learn the hard way and don’t do it again. Unless we are foolish, unwise or think we can get away with it forever? The writer of Kings tells us about the human hardship Your people suffered and the Chronicler gives us the details of the spiritual defeat. Now they have nothing to put their trust in. Looks bleak and tomorrow we move on to read Lamentations. Not a joyful book.
I wonder how many then uttered prayers. As many with no faith do when it seems hopeless. There are times we have to make the best of it.It is not always sin that brings trouble and stress. Think of those flooded out last winter, burned out this summer or bereaved by the heatwave. Sometimes empathy is the best we can offer – and prayer.
At these times, God, all we can do is cling to You, wait and hope. Give our defeat, anger and confusion to You. I rejoice for those who have not gone through such times. Thank You that Your light is always there even in the darkness. And today is a good day to be alive. You are not just a God of sunny days so we can face the future.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 8th August 2026
A traditional hymn – love this version.
Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All, all is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.
Lyrics: Mary Peters