Lamentations 1:1-3:36

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. ­– Lamentations 3:23 NLT

The great city of Jerusalem has fallen. The Temple has been destroyed. The people have been taken captive. And only a handful of the poorest have been left to occupy the land. Jeremiah is one of them, and he writes the words of Lamentations as he considers the sad state of affairs in the former land of promise. Everywhere he looks he is surrounded by scenes of devastation. The economy is in shatters. People are starving everywhere, causing mothers to even eat their own children. There is an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Because the Temple has been destroyed, there are no more festivals and feasts, no more sacrificial system. The people show signs of remorse, but no real signs of repentance. They admit that they have sinned, but seem to blame God for their condition. From their perspective, He has abandoned them. He has broken down His own Temple and rejected His own altar. And He has done it all without mercy.

But Jeremiah knows that God has not abandoned them forever. He understands that God has had to punish them for their sins, but has not fallen out of love with them. He says, "The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this" (Lamentations 3:19-21 NLT). What follows is a wonderful reminder to all of us of the reality of God's never-ending love and faithfulness to us – even when we sin against Him.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.– Lamentations 3:22-26 NLT

For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. – Lamentations 3:31-33 NLT

Even in the midst of our darkest moments, we must remind ourselves of the faithful, unfailing love of God. As Jeremiah looked around at all the devastation in Jerusalem, He had to refocus his attention on the reality of God's goodness and grace. God was still there. God still cared. God was going to restore His people. His love had not run out, just His patience with their sin. He had punished them, but had not abandoned them. He had disciplined them, but not deserted them. So Jeremiah was willing to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Am I? Are you?

Father, it is so easy to lose hope in the midst of troubles and trials. We can take our eyes off of You and focus on our surroundings. We can lose sight of the reality of Your unfailing love and compassion. Keep us focused on Your faithfulness. Great is Your faithfulness! Amen