Dear friends as I woke up at the usual early morning to pray I was nudged by the Holy Spirit to read Jeremiah 32 and 33 again. These chapters have been two of my favourites over the years and these two chapters speak clearly of God's mercy to his people as he would show such compassion. He had such compassion even though time and time again the people would make choices to move away from God and even to live in such defiance and rebellion. The word of God says there is nothing new under the sun and it is true as in this particular time and season, we see such anarchy all around, but above all else we continue to see God's faithfulness, love, grace and mercy.
As I am stirred to study the bible from cover to cover once again, I discover so much more of God's mercy and his redemptive plan for man as he so desired and desires relationship with man. Man was made for his glory and can therefore only experience God's best connected to his heart and flowing out of and living out of the place of his love, grace and mercy.
These verses also were laid on my heart to share with you today.
Lamentations 3:22 to 24
I will also share an adapted exegesis on these verses:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.His mercies are new every morning; great is your faithfulness
These words were penned by Jeremiah in the short book of Lamentations in a dire situation. Jerusalem had fallen to Babylon, and it was a time of deep grief and national mourning. Most of this book is lamenting, but sandwiched in the middle is incredible hope found in the meaning of these verses.
I think this passage is the perfect reminder for us today. Many find themselves in dire situations that seem hopeless. But this promise still rings true, God’s mercies are new every morning.
In the middle of tragedy and suffering we might be tempted to think God doesn’t love us. But this passage starts off with this reminder, God loves us.
Some translations call this God’s steadfast love. Steadfast means firmly fixed or immovable. In other words, nothing we have faced or will face can possibly remove us from God’s love.
Everything that follows is because of God’s love for us. And it’s important that we keep this on the forefront of our mind. The rest of the meaning of Lamentations 3:22-23 ties into this first truth.
His Compassions Never Fail Meaning
for his compassions never fail…
This builds off the first part of this passage. God’s compassion, his mercy, is a byproduct of his love. Because his love is steadfast and knows no end, neither will his compassion.
The word that is translated as “fail” or sometimes “end” is the Hebrew word kalah. It means complete, be concluded, be gone, be finished, be accomplished, or come to an end. This word carries with it a finality.
But in the meaning of Lamentations 3:22-23, there’s a never in front of it. In other words, God’s mercy toward you will never finish, be concluded, or come to and end. It will never fail.
Because God’s love is steadfast his mercy and compassion will continue on through eternity.
This is enough to sustain us during troubling perilous times:
God's steadfast love for us will never fail.
Rejoice in him as
there are new mercies for you today.
Great is God's faithfulness towards us
Amen
Walk good in Christ
Till we meet again
Pastor J
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