Lamentations 3:48-51 KJV
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
The prophet spoke of "mine eye" three times. The first two are references to tears so verse 51 should be understood in that context. He is witnessing such destruction among his people,
• The destruction of the city and nation
• The destruction of such long standing history in the Promised Land
• The destruction of the moral fabric of the people
• The destruction of any faith in the Living God
And as he witnessed this destruction it broke his heart.
But there may be a second application to the phrase in that our hearts are given to the affection of those things we look at. We develop loves for those things we see. I remember the story of a mother who spoke to her pastor broken hearted. She had prayed her son would be a preacher but he grew up instead to be a sailor. The pastor looked at a large painting of a sailing vessel displayed prominently in the living room and learned that it had hung there all her child's life and concluded that was the reason he had grown up to long for the sea. What he had looked at all his life had affected his heart.
I suspect that some would question whether the painting was the culprit or not. Some would say his mother had unfair expectations and that she is wrong to be heartbroken he was doing what he loved. I say his eye affected his heart.
And I say it would always be best to have our eyes on things that have to do with the Lord.
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
The prophet spoke of "mine eye" three times. The first two are references to tears so verse 51 should be understood in that context. He is witnessing such destruction among his people,
• The destruction of the city and nation
• The destruction of such long standing history in the Promised Land
• The destruction of the moral fabric of the people
• The destruction of any faith in the Living God
And as he witnessed this destruction it broke his heart.
But there may be a second application to the phrase in that our hearts are given to the affection of those things we look at. We develop loves for those things we see. I remember the story of a mother who spoke to her pastor broken hearted. She had prayed her son would be a preacher but he grew up instead to be a sailor. The pastor looked at a large painting of a sailing vessel displayed prominently in the living room and learned that it had hung there all her child's life and concluded that was the reason he had grown up to long for the sea. What he had looked at all his life had affected his heart.
I suspect that some would question whether the painting was the culprit or not. Some would say his mother had unfair expectations and that she is wrong to be heartbroken he was doing what he loved. I say his eye affected his heart.
And I say it would always be best to have our eyes on things that have to do with the Lord.
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