12/03/2024

Read: Lamentations 3:21-24 - “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’”

Reflect: I think we underestimate just how important hope is. When faced with the hard and dark trials of life, our hope in the Lord is what can carry us through. Jeremiah was devastated by the desolation wrought upon his people and just how bad things had gotten. Throughout Lamentations, he laments at the destroyed state of his nation, knowing full well it’s the result of their sin. But these verses mark a turning point. He has not lost all hope. Not because of some flimsy idea of “it’s all going to be okay”, but because of the Lord’s great mercy and faithfulness. Even when we stumble in sin, His mercy and compassion is “new every morning”. What an awesome foundation for our hope! Our portion -- meaning our provision and inheritance -- is God Himself. He is the eternal Light at the end of the dark tunnel, waiting for those who choose to hope in Him.

Respond: If you have been walking through a hard time recently, remind yourself of God’s daily mercy. Call upon His promise to you; ask for His compassion to wash over you. And do not lose hope; trust that He will do what He has promised! If times are good right now, praise God for the past times He has led you through. And ask Him to remind you of this Scripture when trials inevitably come your way again.