04/02/2020
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
For most of us, this is a familiar hymn not to mention maybe even a favorite in your hymn playlist should one exist. Some may even have heard these words (and others from the song) come from a Bible verse….specifically Lamentations 3:23. If you want some interesting background on the song go here https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/the-history-of-great-is-thy-faithfulness.
You may be saying “Whoa I didn’t know. That’s pretty cool.” That’s what I thought too but we can really lose the gist of the verses if we don’t take in the whole context or even the verses before it.
That’s the amazing thing about these “faithfulness” verses is what was going on before. To do that, a little background. Jeremiah was a prophet in the Old Testament. He was referred to as the weeping prophet…the Book of Lamentations is just that – passionate expression of grief. So it really leaves you with a sense of sadness, grief, and borderline tears.
We want to focus on the chapter that contains these “faithfulness” verses, Chapter 3. Jerimiah is prophesying to all Israel but he personalizes the message to himself, i.e., Verse 1, “I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.” Even as you read this, I would encourage you to get your Bible/App opened to Lamentations 3 to follow along.
Jerimiah paints a picture of doom and gloom for Israel but I think in the midst of all this viral stuff nowadays, we may have some similar feelings. I especially continue to think of our Seniors who are potentially missing out on the spring musical, spring concerts, Senior Troubs concert, prom, sports, and wondering how graduation will happen or if diplomas will just be mailed. For our other students who are missing out on some of the other activities or if anything, just being able to hang with friends and have some idea of a normal life.
Jeremiah describes being LED into darkness. Do you feel a sense of darkness in all this? The hope I take out this is that God is doing the leading and if God leads you there, there’s no better place because He led you there and He is there. He goes on to talk about being hedged in and can’t get out … he was quarantined by an enemy as we are quarantined by a virus. For awhile there’s no escape. We may pray and feel God does not hear. Through all of this we may come to the conclusion that God is just out to get me like a bear or lion (verse 10 not Tiger King). Do we feel sometimes that God has put a target on our backs for His arrows? Jeremiah did. Verse 18 goes as far to say Jerimiah’s strength and hope was gone. All of this horrible stuff is going on before the “faithfulness” verses.
From that description of life as seen through the eyes of a prophet, there is glimmer that remains and that what I want to leave you with this week. Through all the sorrows of what was going on Jerimiah remembered and his hope was increased…he realizes “through all Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed”. WHY? Because His compassions do not fail. Every morning they are new. Over the past couple weeks, we talked about don’t worry about tomorrow today cause tomorrow will have it’s own share of problems. We don’t need to worry about tomorrow because His mercies and compassions are new everyday and they will be perfect just for that day. WOW! WOW! WOW! We, along with Jerimiah can say loudly, Great is Thy Faithfulness.
So, with all we are going through during this time, I want you to take away FOUR words from FOUR verses.
HOPE
Verse 21… This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.” I recall this quote from Hunger Games by President Snow…” Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous.” In this time of uncertainty, you can have hope if we can just ease our minds off the things going on around us long enough to think about what we do have and how God is working through these things. Remember, He has plans…not to harm but to prosper – Jeremiah 29:11
LOVE
Verse 22… “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.” Wait where’s love? “Mercies” in the verse mean lovingkindness. A kind love that is never failing a kind love that expects nothing in return. No matter what was going on in Jerimiah’s time to what’s going on now, God has never stopped giving you lovingkindness.
FAITHFULLNESS
Verse 23… “They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” I love the change of seasons to go from the blah of winter to the green and color of spring. It happens every year. If God is faithful in nature, how much more will he extend that faithfulness to us? Even in the song…”summer and winter and springtime and harvest….”. In this time of wondering how all this will shake out, I encourage you to remember His faithfulness.
PORTION
Verse 24…“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”. This is one you don’t need to worry about portion control because God knows exactly what you need and exactly when you need it. Notice it’s not Jeremiah saying it but his soul saying it. When you are at a point when nothing seems to work out, everything seems messed up, let God be your portion and in doing so your hope will be renewed because you will know God’s got you….and that’s a good place to be.
To wrap it up, just take a bath in the next couple verses:
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Amen
Till next time.
