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Daily Reading: Lamentations 3-5
Lamentations 3:21
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
In Jeremiah’s poem his heart is poured out as water as he recalls the mistreatment received. He blames it on the Lord. It is impossible to know if the prophet actually did blame the Lord, or if he was using a literary device to set up the climax of the poem found in its middle verses. I believe the latter given Jeremiah’s unwavering faith in the Lord God’s fairness and mercy.
The reader is set up to be ambushed by two phrases in the poem that pushes the reader into a new and fresh way to look at the awful plight of suffering. In today’s verse Jeremiah plainly states that when he recalls something his hope is restored. For 20 verses it has all been negative and heartbreaking. Yet, a thought, a truth, an axiom of God’s dealing with mankind is remembered and BOOM, hope is restored.
What was the statement that turned calamity into hope, difficulty into optimism, heartache into cheerfulness? Verses 22 & 23. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Just as the manna was new and fresh every morning during the wilderness wanderings, God’s mercies are new and fresh each and every morning of your life.
Yesterday is over
Tomorrow may never come
Today is the only day that counts
When all of life is done.
Live today, dear child of God. Come to Him in the morning pouring out your hardships, concerns, sins, and difficulties. He will meet you in the morning, extending mercy for the day. Then on tomorrow, His mercies will be all new to you again. Over and over and over again this newness of mercy is there for all the tomorrows of your life. All you have to do is remember, embrace, and rejoice in such a wonderful renewing of mercy each and every day.
It is of His mercies that we are not consumed because of our rebellion from Him and His Word. His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Because of this we can dogmatically state, Great is thy faithfulness. In comparison to ours, His faithfulness is great and ours, well at best ours is Nemo Sine Vitio Est (no one is without fault).
Until tomorrow, live for Christ today.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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