The Reason to Hope

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Lamentations 3:22-23

Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

 

Bible Reading for a Year [bible]psalm139[/bible]; [bible]iicor12[/bible]; [bible]iisam5-6[/bible]

 

In spite of being the most miserable story in the Bible, this one has been an inspiration for a hopeful hymn in the 20^th century.

The prophet Jeremiah has witnessed the horrible thing when Babylonians attacked Jerusalem in 586 SM. Solomon’s temple was destroyed and fell into ruins. It affected not only in the worship area. Along with that, the center of society was gone, too. Many people were abandoned; they had no food, no shelter, no peace, and no leader.

However, in the midst of suffering and distress, a prophet found a reason to hope. Jeremiah wrote, “Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Jeremiah’s hope comes from his past personal experience of God’s loving kindness and His promises. Without all of these, he could not console the people.

The hope of Lamentations 3 is written in the hymn by Thomas Chisholm (1866 – 1960). Even though he was sick all of his life, Chisholm wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness”.

This hymn convinces us that in the midst of fear, tragic loss, and hardship, we can found consolation and courage as we trust God’s great mercy.

 

The best reason to hope is God’s mercy.

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