"Let Us Examine Our Ways"

Jerusalem lies in ruins, the Temple is destroyed, the nations treasures have been taken and it's people live in captivity. Words like destruction and desolation are used to describe the outcome of God's wrath against His people. They cast Him out of their lives and so He brought about their downfall to bring them back to their senses. (no need for commentary here, we understand the application)
The book of Lamentations is a difficult little book to read as it is filled with sorrow and desperation. It is difficult to imagine the total sense of abandonment that the Jews felt as Nebuchadnezzar sends his forces to destroy Jerusalem and remove it's treasures (people and possessions). They had lived under His protection for hundreds of years and took for granted that His protection would not be withdrawn. And so, when they are completely defeated, they find themselves "serving the slaves".
The verses that call out to me are found in Lamentations 3:40 -42.

"Let us examine our ways and test them,
   and let us return to the LORD.
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
   to God in heaven, and say:
We have sinned and rebelled
   and you have not forgiven."

In the day of our own destruction, when we choose to live our lives unto ourselves (and we will), how will we respond? When we find that we are captive to something or someone, what will we do? When our treasure is gone (people or possessions), how will we react? Until that day, it is probably not known how each of us will respond. I like to think that I will turn to God and ask for His forgiveness and restoration; that I will be on my knees confessing my brokenness and sorrow. I believe my faith is strong enough that I know where my strength comes from; but I have lived a very blessed and protected life.
I like the verses, I like the attitude. When we find ourselves off the path, we need to examine our ways, test them. Are we following Jesus or are we on some other trail? Have we lost sight of the One that leads? If so, we must return to His guidance, His path. When we find that we have gone our own way, the only way back is to turn to God in heaven and confess that we don't know the way. Tell Him that we have sinned and rebelled and lost our way. Pride says, "just keep going, you are smart, you know the way". Humility says, "I am lost on my own, I need Jesus to lead in my life".
May we determine to "examine our ways", to constantly check who or what is leading our lives! If we have strayed from The Path, may we decide to return to Jesus, confess our sins and abandon our pride. God is always there! Our rebellion does not move Him away from us, it moves us away from Him. Let us return to the path that is straight and narrow and follow the only One that knows the way home. God bless.