August 27 - Lamentations 3-5
Isn't it amazing how God placed such an encouraging and hopeful passage in the middle of such a sad book of the Bible? This underscores the faithfulness of God as it was shown in Jeremiah's life and in the life of Israel. I know that I can relate to what Jeremiah says here about God's faithfulness, and I hope you can, too.
There are times when we have extreme trials, and we get discouraged, because people are persecuting us, and it seems that God's is not answering our prayers. (3:9,14) That was Jeremiah's situation most of his life. However, he can come back to say that "through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed." (3:22) God is watching over us in the midst of the storms of life, and "His compassions fail not, they are new every morning." It is an understatement to say that God's faithfulness is great. It is so much more than we can ever comprehend. He is always good to those who wait on Him. (3:23) Therefore, why should we complain? (3:39)
Jeremiah says this after all of his years of weeping. (3:48) He had seen the faithfulness of God after being thrown into the dungeon of miry clay. (3:55-57) He had lived through watching the mothers cook their children for food. (4:10) Because of his trust in the faithfulness of God, he never gave up. We must exercise that same faith ourselves. We must know that God is always trustworthy, and He will see us through. This is true even when our joy has ceased and our dancing has turned to mourning. (5:15) God's mercy and compassion is still there to restore us in His time.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 1-3.
There are times when we have extreme trials, and we get discouraged, because people are persecuting us, and it seems that God's is not answering our prayers. (3:9,14) That was Jeremiah's situation most of his life. However, he can come back to say that "through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed." (3:22) God is watching over us in the midst of the storms of life, and "His compassions fail not, they are new every morning." It is an understatement to say that God's faithfulness is great. It is so much more than we can ever comprehend. He is always good to those who wait on Him. (3:23) Therefore, why should we complain? (3:39)
Jeremiah says this after all of his years of weeping. (3:48) He had seen the faithfulness of God after being thrown into the dungeon of miry clay. (3:55-57) He had lived through watching the mothers cook their children for food. (4:10) Because of his trust in the faithfulness of God, he never gave up. We must exercise that same faith ourselves. We must know that God is always trustworthy, and He will see us through. This is true even when our joy has ceased and our dancing has turned to mourning. (5:15) God's mercy and compassion is still there to restore us in His time.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 1-3.