Week 20
Lamentations 3:17-18, 21-24 “My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. So I say, ‘My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord…This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
The spiritual and emotional capacities of the soul are beyond measure; at least, we seem to fail to be able to plumb their depths. Although ecstasies of the soul may be as high as the heavens, we must confess that the soul is also capable of the deepest, darkest, and soul despairing trouble. Although none can equal or approximate the depths of Jesus’ depression on the cross when He cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 26:46)” No one could ever sink to such a cavern of mighty despair as this, still, we find ourselves at times sinking into the morass of despondency and melancholy.
Jeremiah in our text graphically portrays his soul as being “rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness.” He freely confessed, “My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord.” These are deep waters indeed! Such agonies of soul writhing in lost hope drain one of courage and dreams.
And still, even then (yes, even then) when all hope seemed gone, hear what the prophet says: “This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Our God is glorious, our God is faithful and trustworthy, and our hope is in HIM and His promise to us! We cannot create hope, hope is not a natural part of our fallen nature. But we must have hope in God if we are to have hope at all. Here we have the threefold cord of hope etched into the very nature of God: His lovingkindness, His compassions, and His faithfulness. What a tripartite of healing power! This power can overcome any obstacle and enlighten any darkness!
Christian friend, bring your pain and your aching heart to Jesus. Bring your sorrow and your fear to the Master who commands the waves of uncertainty that threaten to swamp you. Feed on His lovingkindness, His compassions, and His faithfulness. There is nothing too big for Him and nothing too trivial or small to Him. Our God watches over the sparrows, and He is watching over us. His covenantal promise to us in the gospel is fueled by His faithful steadfastness and truth; He cannot lie, and He cannot fail. In whatever valley we find ourselves this day, let us give ourselves and our souls to these great happy truths; we will find in Him our peace, our comfort, and our security. He is all we need!
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am swimming in deep waters, and I am getting tired. Please help me to not give in or give up. Please help me to drink from the fountain of Your promise and find myself refreshed by Your love, compassion, and faithfulness. Fortified with such beautiful and powerful resources, let me keep going in the face of opposition. I trust in You, dear Lord. Amen.