New mercies for you today

Lamentations 3:21-24 says: This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Most scholars attribute Jeremiah as the author of this tiny, poetic book nestled between Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It is filled with laments over the destruction of Jerusalem. This often graphic book laments the various aspects and consequences of the sin of God’s people which of course led to the destruction of the Holy City.

The book concludes with repentance:- “Turn us back to you, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old, unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us” (Lam 5:21-22 NKJV).

The focus for today however, is on His great mercy and faithfulness. In amongst all the lamenting over the predicament in which God’s people find themselves, the author says:- “This I recall to my mind therefore I have hope” (v21). I believe it is when we choose to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and His faithfulness to us, hope can be restored.

Perhaps you’re feeling full of lament, maybe regretting some past decisions and the resulting consequences. Can I encourage you today to recall to mind His great faithfulness? His mercies (goodness, kindness and faithfulness) are new every morning. He doesn’t expect us to get by with the leftovers of yesterday’s mercies. He has new mercies for you and me today. As the writer states:- “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed.” Remind your soul (your mind, will and emotions) as David often did in his Psalms, that the Lord is your portion “Therefore I have hope in Him!” (v24). Don’t waste today’s mercies.