Love God Greatly: BeatitudesНамуна

Lamentations is not known as a hopeful book: it is obviously filled with lament, the expression of great sorrow and grief over Jerusalem's destruction. Yet amid this pain, the writer reminds God's people that His perfect record of faithfulness should give them hope for the future. 

These are no easy mercies: God's people were worshipping idols, sacrificing children, and killing the prophets God sent to correct them. It is in the face of these great sins that God reminds His people that His mercies are new every morning, that His faithfulness is not dependent on what they did today, yesterday, or the day before. This is good news for us who think we are too far gone: God's mercies are far greater than we imagine. His faithfulness is stronger than any sin, failing, or idolatry. Just as this gave great hope to the scattered Israelites, it should give hope to us: God's past mercies prove to our forgetful hearts that He will be merciful in the future. 

Thank You, God, for new mercies every morning! Teach my heart to place my hope in Your faithfulness. Help me to live in the light of Your steadfast love and show this love to those in my life.