Therefore I Have Hope!

Lamentations 3:21-23 – 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. NKJV

Jeremiah the prophet is known as the “weeping” prophet. Israel had him in tears over their total disregard for the word of the Lord and him. They rejected him as a prophet, for he was constantly saying, “They will not listen!” He was beaten and put in the stocks, they put a death sentence on him, the king burned the scroll that had a prophecy from Jeremiah for him, and he was thrown in a mud pit and left to die. On top of all of that, they called him a liar. It was pretty tough going for Jeremiah. No wonder he cried! I would’ve been binding the devil and all of his attacks! Yet, Jeremiah was smack dab in the will of God going through some hard times. This was tough!

There are times in the life of the believer, one who is fully committed to the work of God, sold out, focused, and running hot for the Master, when you can find yourself in some really tough situations, smack dab in the middle of God’s will. Especially pastors, leaders, prophets, and those in ministry who work hard to lead the body of Christ. It is often said that they are on the forefront and get the first attacks that come to the church. It can be a challenge! (This is a good time to stop and “say a little prayer” for your pastors and leaders!)

I wish I could say it’s just them! It’s all who are committed to Christ, all who are new in Christ, all who identify with Christ…I think you get the picture. We can experience some tough days. Like Jeremiah! Like Jesus! Perspective at that time is really important. I like Jeremiah’s perspective.

Jeremiah said he had to call some things to mind. When you are going through, as a believer, recalling some things to mind will be helpful, if you recall the right things. Jeremiah tells us what he called to mind. First, he remembered that through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed. In the Living Bible, this verse is translated, “It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.” Jeremiah may have been lamenting, but he understood that because of God’s mercies, he was not destroyed. That was the goal of the people he was sent to, but God kept him! And God’s mercies are available to us! Things may seem bad, they may seem hard, but He will is keeping you!

Jeremiah recalled that God’s compassion never fails! That’s a spectacular record. God’s compassion for us, never fails. He just keeps on giving and giving and giving a love that has no end. With all that Jeremiah experienced, he was still able to say that God’s compassion was available to him. Through all of his difficulties, through the loneliness of being a rejected prophet, through the hurt of knowing he was in God’s will and yet he was going through these challenges, he understood that God’s compassion would not fail him.

Jeremiah recalled that His mercies are new every morning! A brand new mercy for every day. He didn’t have to rely on what God gave him yesterday because God’s mercies were available to him every day, and they were new mercies. God’s love for His people just keep manifesting in all kinds of ways to meet all kinds of needs. If it wasn’t for that truth…But Jeremiah called to mind, remembered, God’s mercies were new. When they called him a liar, God had a mercy available to endure it. When they beat him up, he needed a different kind of mercy, and God provided it. When they put a hit on his life, God showed up with another mercy. Whenever he needed it, God had mercy ready for distribution.

And Jeremiah recalled to mind, that great is His faithfulness!! How could God be considered faithful through so many difficulties? How could God be faithful through so much hurt? How could God be faithful when nothing went right, ever??? I tell you how… Jeremiah’s faith in God wasn’t predicated on what he was experiencing but on who He was believing. He didn’t like what he was experiencing, but he understood that God’s faithfulness to His people, was great! Moses said that not one word had failed from all that God had promised the children of Israel! David said that God’s mercy reaches the heavens and His faithfulness reaches to the clouds! And another time David said that he would sing of the mercies of the Lord forever and with his mouth he would make known His faithfulness!

And so as he called these things to mind, it caused him to have hope! It caused him to see past the challenges of his life, to hope in His God! It caused him to see past the mud pit to His faithful God, and His ability to deliver Him, to protect Him, to keep him. He had hope in the God who was full of compassion that never fails, who has new mercies every day, and who never allowed his destruction!

Did you know that if you are a believer, a Christian, you have the same God as Jeremiah? Of course you did! And since you know that, you know that whatever you are currently experiencing, what ever you have experienced, whatever you will experience, that you can’t focus on those things! No! You have to do like Jeremiah in order to experience the hope that he experienced…recall the faithfulness of God, remember His unfailing love towards you, hold fast to His new mercies! Wonderful Jesus!