Jeremiah 9  This chapter is considered a "lament over Zion".  Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, feels like his eyes are a "fountain of tears".  He sees the coming tragedy.. the land would soon be a "heap of ruins". The beautiful land would become a wilderness..."Both the birds of the sky and the beasts have fled; they are gone."  All "Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them and have not obeyed My voice nor walked according to it, but have walked after the stubbornness of their hearts and after the Baals.. " 

Their sins were piled up.. adultery, lies, slander, deception, hatred.. neighbor against neighbor; brother against brother.  They had become treacherous and dangerous. They refused to repent and return to the Lord.  And worst of all, the Lord said, "they do not know Me."

They would be scattered.. the sword would come.. the wailing would be heard.. "The corpses of men will fall like dung on the open field, and like the sheaf after the reaper, but no one will gather them."  

This is the result of turning away from God. It is a tragedy that could have been prevented if the people would have listened to Jeremiah.. but they would not.  It broke his heart. 

May we heed the warning of God's Word.. America is no different.. there are so many who do not know the Lord, who live in sin.. piling up their lies and hate and immorality... becoming treacherous and dangerous.  When people can no longer walk down the street for fear of their lives.. when they cannot trust their neighbor.. or their brother.. when babies are slaughtered or abused or sold.. when children are deceived and mutilated.. when wrong is called right and right is called wrong...  we know that the judgement that came upon Judah can also become our tragic ending.  God does not ignore the sins of a nation. 

Verses 23-24 are important for us to remember.. "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts, boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, ' declares the Lord." 

Father in heaven, may our hearts be truly circumcised.. with true repentance, as we come to Jesus and find cleansing from the "fountain that flows with blood".   His death and resurrection has given us a great salvation as we trust in You.. May we grow in the grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that we might know You.. the One true God, the everlasting King, our Maker.. our Father.  Fill us with Your Spirit that we might live in Your ways and do what You command with hearts of love and truth.  We pray these things in the only Name that brings us to You.. Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.