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Text: Lamentations 3:17-32
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
To me there are few things more beautiful than a ‘blue smoke’ sunrise over the crest of the Great Smoky Mountains. The morning blanket of smoky haze gives the region an almost magical enchantment. The Cherokee Indians considered the mountains to be a sacred place and referred to the area as “Shaconage” (Sha-Kon-O-Hey): land of the blue smoke. European settlers later took inspiration from the Cherokee language when they named the Great Smoky Mountains and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Waking up under the blanket of this great blue smoke gives a sense of surreality to the rest of the day.
In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah talked about waking up each day under the blanket of God’s tender mercies. Though he was an eyewitness to the downfall of his homeland, and as he walks through the streets and alleys of Jerusalem and sees nothing but pain, suffering, and destruction in the wake of the Babylonian invasion, he was still remarkably able to pause for a moment to recall the steadfast love of the Lord and the greatness of His faithfulness. This recollection gave the weeping prophet unimaginable hope in such bleak and dire circumstances (Lamentations 3:22-24).
Jeremiah had been journaling about the depressing events of his time. He had seen the kind of death that only the worst of humanity can bring. Yet suddenly, in the middle of this dreary account, Jeremiah has his own ‘Shaconage’ moment as his thoughts take a startling turn back to the very depths of God’s character.
The Hebrew word translated here ‘mercies’ is used 248 times in the Old Testament. It is a sweeping, all-inclusive term to describe God’s love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, forgiveness, and compassion. Though his people are indeed being punished for their sins as God had warned them about beforehand, Jeremiah remembers that God’s mercies are new each day—that no matter how painful the consequences of sin may be, confession always brings about renewal and restoration. Better days are sure to come.
It is under this thick blanket of God’s mercies that Jeremiah finds comfort and hope.
Hope doesn’t take away the hurt, but it does point us in the right direction when we are hurting.
How could anyone cry out, “Great is your faithfulness!” in the middle of such affliction? The answer is that Jeremiah recalled to mind the steadfast love of the Lord. He knew that God could turn tragedy into triumph and he pointed his faith in the right direction.
How about you, my friend? Where have you seen disaster in your world? Where has your faith been shaken? Where have you experienced heartbreak or loss in your life? Whether our affliction is brought on by our own sinful choices or accounts beyond our control, just like Jeremiah, we can turn our eyes upward and see the triumph of Christ rising like morning haze over the jagged mountaintops.
Because the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, we can say in our difficulty, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in him.” God’s enduring love and constant mercies are not only new every morning, they are new every moment. Think about that beloved, as you take the time to abide in Him this week.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, great is your faithfulness. Your compassions, they fail not. Morning by morning, new mercies we see. We embrace your unfailing love for us—especially how that love was demonstrated toward us on Calvary’s cross, where your beloved Son, Jesus, gave His life as the ransom for our transgressions. He bore our sins upon his own body so that we could be restored to a rightful relationship with you and be comforted under the blanket of your mercy. Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit and cause us to walk triumphantly in the steadfastness of your love. You are our portion, our Hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hope doesn’t take away the hurt, but it does point us in the right direction when we are hurting. Tweet this
Questions for Reflection and/or Family Discussion:
- What is the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen? What makes a sunrise so captivating to us? In what other ways does creation speak to us?
- When have you felt like God was afflicting you? What did that season produce in your life?
- In what ways do reflection, confession, and repentance play a role in our seasons of affliction?
- How have you experienced the faithfulness of God and the steadfastness of His love?
- What can you do this week to recognize and celebrate the mercies of God every morning?
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