Wise Christian leaders include God as an integral part of their leadership. They have a high level of dependence on God in their attitude and actions. Read Lamentations 5:14-22.

The leaders of the nation of Judah failed to recognize the authority of God over their nation and that oversight led them to make decisions and condone actions that broke their covenant with God. Jeremiah confesses the sin of the people and also acknowledges that God reigns forever and will ultimately restore what has been lost. Successful Christian leaders don’t depend on their own strength and wisdom but on the sovereign God.

A Christian leader’s only hope is in the character and promises of God. Read Lamentations 3:22-26.

With the horrors of the complete destruction of Jerusalem still in his mind, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. Almost right in the middle of Lamentation’s five chapters Jeremiah wrote words of hope not despair. In his words he reminded the remnant of Jews left in the land as well as today’s leaders that our only real hope is in the character and promises of God.

Even the leader at the top of an organization has a place to look for guidance. Read Lamentations 3:22-26.

As Jeremiah evaluated everything that had happened to Judah and Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion he came to the conclusion that God was still on His throne, still leading and still providing for the nation even in these dark moments.

Christian leaders must have a belief in the love of a sovereign God. This strong belief allows them to demonstrate hope even during the most difficult times. Read the entire book of Lamentations focusing on 3:19-26.

Jeremiah’s home, the city of Jerusalem, had been destroyed by the Babylonians. The temple, the king’s palace, the city gates, the city walls and virtually every home had been destroyed and burned. This setting of total destruction is when the prophet Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. The book is named after his lament over the tragedy.

Some leaders fail because of their inability to make the tough decisions. Read Jeremiah 42:1-43:13.

In 586 BC after Babylon captured Judah and exiled most of the populous to Babylon the small contingent of Jews left in the land was made up of the poor, those that came back to Judah from neighboring nations and some field commanders and their troops that slipped through the hands of the Babylonian army. Gedaliah, the governor of Judah appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, was assassinated by a rogue Jewish field commander. The other Jewish field commanders hunted down the rogue army but now those remaining in the land had a decision. Do they stay in Judah believing the Babylonians will accept the flight of the rogue field commander and his troops to Amon as justice for the crime or do they migrate to Egypt, where they felt they would be safe from Babylonian reprisal?