By Michael C. Mack
1. How did you use last week’s Scripture passage to tell someone about God’s goodness and grace?
2. For what have you waited on the Lord for a long time?
Ask two people to read aloud Lamentations 3:19-33, 39-42, 55-58 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage.
3. What is the general tone of this passage (especially as compared to others from Lamentations)?
4. What kinds of things help us to faithfully wait for God, particularly when we are (or have been) downcast?
- What “advice” does the prophet give us for waiting on God?
- What parts do repentance, confession, and prayer play as we wait for God to move in our circumstances?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage? (See especially verses 22-23, 25, 31-33, 57-58.)
6. What do you learn about people through Jeremiah?
7. When have you called on the name of the Lord from the depths of a “pit”? What were the circumstances? How did the Lord respond?
8. Consider a time when you trusted in God’s great love, compassion, and faithfulness during a difficult period when you were waiting for him to answer and act. How would you tell that story to a friend or family member to help them trust God more?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
10. For what in your life today do you need God to come near and say, “Do not fear”?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Jeremiah 1:1-19 as we begin a new unit, Jeremiah (Part 1), with the theme, “Warning: Danger Ahead.” You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
