Monday July 13 2009| Faithful and Merciful One Day at a Time
Jeremiah expresses his own personal agony that mirrors the agony of Jerusalem in the opening verses of chapter three. Jerusalem's pain is past due for their flagrant and arrogant violation of everything God had created them to be. Jeremiah's agony has resulted from watching Jerusalem destroyed as a result of its own spiritual cancer along with the hatred and violence heaped upon him because he warned of God's coming judgment (v. 1-18). In the midst of the hate and ridicule that the people of Jerusalem had heaped upon Jeremiah as he warned them of judgment, he began to feel as if God had turned His back on him as well. His prayers did not seem to be heard, and the situations he encountered in his life made him feel God Himself was setting him up for an ambush. It was as if a lion or a bear was hiding, just waiting for the right moment to pounce on him (v. 7-11). Jeremiah, however, knew God too well to allow himself this state of hopeless despair. Like many of us, when we are faced with the turmoil of a fallen world, we can feel uniquely alone. The sinful world that we choose to not share in attacks us. At the same time, the judgment that God brings upon the world for its sins also seems to afflict us with a deep sorrow as we watch all the good that God does destroyed by the One who gave it. This is a loss whose ripple effect painfully affects our own lives. Jeremiah pulled out of this deep pit of despair because he began to remember the unchanging perfections of God. Hope began to be restored as he threw himself upon God's unfailing mercy and compassion. Jeremiah knew deep within himself that God's mercy and compassion were waiting for him every morning. Yes, each day would be filled with adversity. But each day would also be filled with even more strengthening mercy. God Himself would be the spiritual provision for Jeremiah to be "more than a conqueror" in the midst of the suffering that may come (Rom. 8:35-37). This is a truth that every sincere believer must come to terms with in this fallen world. The trials that uniquely lie waiting to pounce upon us can be overcome with a greater faithfulness from God, every morning of every day. This mercy that is faithfully waiting clearly teaches us to live one day at a time. The vast majority of our anxieties, our fears, and our sorrows are created by adding up all the potential problems of a lifetime and trying to solve them today. Jesus warned us of this in one of the most practical statements on living in a tough and fallen world: "Give us this day our daily bread" and "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matt. 6:11, 34). He is faithful—one day at a time. | |||
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Lamentations 3:1-66  The Prophet's Anguish and Hope 1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. 2 He has led me and made me walk 3 Surely He has turned His hand against me 4 He has aged my flesh and my skin, 5 He has besieged me 6 He has set me in dark places 7 He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; 8 Even when I cry and shout, 9 He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; 10 He has been to me a bear lying in wait, 11 He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; 12 He has bent His bow 13 He has caused the arrows of His quiver 14 I have become the ridicule of all my people— 15 He has filled me with bitterness, 16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel, 17 You have moved my soul far from peace; 18 And I said, "My strength and my hope 19 Remember my affliction and roaming, 20 My soul still remembers 21 This I recall to my mind, 22 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, 23 They are new every morning; 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly 27 It is good for a man to bear 28 Let him sit alone and keep silent, 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust— 30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, 31 For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32 Though He causes grief, 33 For He does not afflict willingly, 34 To crush under one's feet 35 To turn aside the justice due a man 36 Or subvert a man in his cause— 37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High 39 Why should a living man complain, 40 Let us search out and examine our ways, 41 Let us lift our hearts and hands 42 We have transgressed and rebelled; 43 You have covered Yourself with anger 44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud, 45 You have made us an offscouring and refuse 46 All our enemies 47 Fear and a snare have come upon us, 48 My eyes overflow with rivers of water 49 My eyes flow and do not cease, 50 Till the LORD from heaven 51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul 52 My enemies without cause 53 They silenced my life in the pit 54 The waters flowed over my head; 55 I called on Your name, O LORD, 56 You have heard my voice: 57 You drew near on the day I called on You, 58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; 59 O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged; 60 You have seen all their vengeance, 61 You have heard their reproach, O LORD, 62 The lips of my enemies 63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up; 64 Repay them, O LORD, 65 Give them a veiled heart; 66 In Your anger, | |||
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| Lamentations 3:1-66 v. I am the man who has seen affliction – In this chapter Jeremiah parallels his suffering with the suffering of Israel. Jeremiah draws from his personal experiences with God to demonstrate God's mercy and faithfulness toward His people. v. 11 turned aside – This term is derived from a Hebrew verb meaning, "to go aside, deviate, make to draw back." In other words, to mislead. v. 15 made me drink wormwood – Wormwood was a bitter-tasting shrub that was used for medicinal purposes and for making tea. v. 16 broken my teeth with gravel – This is a reference to teeth being broken by shoving one's face in the gravel. v. 22 the LORD's mercies – Mercies used in this verse is hesed (Heb.), and is often translated as lovingkindness. This term denotes grace, mercy, and compassion. v. 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust – Putting one's mouth in the dust was a way of demonstrating humble submission to God. v. 34 to crush under one's feet – This is likely a reference to the Israelite's treatment from the Babylonians in 586 BC. v. 53 They silenced my life in the pit – Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhure had Jeremiah thrown into a pit in an attempt to silence his prophetic warning of God's imminent judgment on Jerusalem (Jer. 38). | |||
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| Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. –Lamentations 3:22-23 More wonderful words have never been heard, O God! Your love, compassion, and faithfulness renew us and daily give us the chance to make different choices and behave in new ways. Today is the day, Lord, that we seek to follow Your path and to do Your will. We seek You, Lord, to be with us every second of this day. Thank You that we can start fresh. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. | |||
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3:22-23 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Mom's Refresher
