God's Faithfulness

Today I read Lamentations - 1, 2, 3.

It is a short book, but filled with grief because of calamity. It's a picture of complete destruction and the aftermath of sorrow. A tornado destroys a city, or a war completely destroys the city. Lamentations is written in the midst of the war that destroys everything. Jerusalem is destroyed. It lies in ruins after the Babylonian army attacks, levels, and kills young and old alike.

Lamentations has traditionally been ascribed to Jeremiah who lived through these assaults and witnessed it all. He understands the WHY. It was the immorality and unfaithfulness of Israel that led to this. What God did was allow them to reap the fruit of their own sinfulness. We want to blame God when bad things happen; but the corruption caused by sin is so very real.

So where do we go in the midst of suffering? The writer of Lamentations takes us through the valley of despair and misery for two+ chapters; and then the writer leads us to the light...

"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him."

Faith is Trust...I have faith whenever I say "I trust you". It might be an object such as a chair I assume is safe to sit in; or a person - my wife, my friend...God. Faith is trust. Now, we all know that at times our faith is disappointed with failure. The chair fails and collapses. Spouses are unfaithful. Friends don't always prove to be real friends.

God? Is God always faithful? That is the question that needs our heart as well as our mind.

Jeremiah knows that God is not the problem...but he also knows that God is the solution. What do we do when we find ourselves in a fog of uncertainty? How do we find our way out? Jeremiah says,

"So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

What do we do to cooperate in this process of restoration? Again, Jeremiah says,

"Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord." (Lamentations 3:21-26, 32, 33, 40 NLT)

It was Peter who said to Jesus, "Lord, who do we have to turn to, you alone have the words of life."

So true,

Peace


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