Scripture:
19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
21 Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:19-24
Observation:
Jeremiah vents before God about Israel’s and his own misery. He is at the center of the storm, with the worse damage passing by, and with the most intense pain eating his bones. However, he dares to hope in God’s goodness and faithfulness. For Jeremiah, everything can be taken away--the nation’s splendor, the temple, the city walls, the people, but as long as he has hope in God, not everything is lost.
Application:
Difficult times are a reality in life. Sooner or later the storms of life will hit us and test the resilience of our fragile hearts. But what they test the most is how willing we are to loose our hope. Those tests take us to the fringe of our strength, to the breakpoint where it seems that hope is the last thing we have. We can only pass the test when we refuse to loose hope and rather we dare to hope. Daring is a defiant act against all odds. Those who dare to hope in spite of the scoreboard reveal a character that only those with divine royal blood have. The children of God shine not when things in life are thriving but when the storms hit them hard.
This week I’ve been able to see a family shining their character in one of the most brutal storms a family can face. As one of their children is laying on an ICU bed fighting for his life, this family dares to hope in the love and mercy of God. This child of God has been suffering for many years several physical problems. This family has all the right to question God and His love for this young man. Nevertheless, they dare to hope--against doctor’s diagnosis, and against the pain to see their loved one suffering. I’ve been able to witness the glory of God shining through this situation because they dare to hope. I’m learning from this family because I want to shine the same way when the brutal storms come my way.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the privilege to see a godly family daring to hope in your love and faithfulness. Let me learn form them. Please help this family during this trial and bring peace and comfort into their troubled souls. Let your will be done in the life of this young man and bring the ultimate healing, whatever it look s like, according to your perfect plan for him and for this family. Amen!
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