When tragedy hits our lives, whom do we turn to? Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations show he understood that the heart can be punctured.
Lamentations 3:18 says, “My splendor is gone, and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” Jeremiah had preached God’s judgement, and he saw Jerusalem defeated. His splendor was gone and he felt defeated, isolated and abandoned by God (v. 12, 14, 15)
Jeremiah doesn’t hold anything back. He felt God was the source of his pain. And yet, in the midst of all these afflictions he has hope because of one thing – God’s great love. Verse 3:22 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”
This is an incredible affirmation! Jeremiah feels like he had been crushed, but God says that he is not consumed because of God’s compassion. God’s love is so large that circumstances can’t rob us of this promise. God’s compassion saves us and preserves us, not from all harm but from being consumed.
Has life ever thrown you a curve ball? Have you ever had one sadness after another and thought that you were being punished? This story about Jeremiah gives us hope. The sadness of Jeremiah’s story is not the end. Light shined through.
Jeremiah, burdened and broken, stammered out “I have hope.” (v. 21) Verse 22 says “because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed.” When we are having our darkest days, we need to be reminded that God’s “compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” (v. 22-23)
Prayer – Thank you, Father, that You’re the God of compassion. Even when I walk through the valley of darkness, I can know that morning will follow. Thank you for Your compassion and faithfulness. Amen.
Lamentations 3:22 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.”
Author: Tommy Herndon
Image: Claudio Schwarz, courtesy of Unsplash
