“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22 -23
Good morning everyone,
I do not know about you, but I am honestly very thankful this morning. Thankful that God carried me safely through the night and woke me up with new breath in my lungs.
When I awoke, memories flooded my mind of the many times God has been merciful to me.
I remember once throwing a giant rock into the air to knock down my soccer ball. The rock came down with the ball and struck my forehead, leaving a large knot and a minor concussion. But God was merciful and I recovered.
Another time, when I was younger and playing dodgeball in physical education, someone accidentally stepped on my head and slammed it against the concrete. Again I had a huge knot and likely another concussion, but God was merciful and I recovered.
One of the most serious moments in my life happened three different times when I suffered spontaneous internal bleeding. This time it was not caused by an accident. It came from something I was born with, the sickle cell trait. Sickle cell is a blood disorder in which red blood cells can become crescent shaped, making it harder for blood to circulate oxygen properly. I do not have the full disease, but I carry the trait, and it unexpectedly caused months of internal bleeding.
It was painful. It left me exhausted from blood loss and hospitalized me for four days in 2021. During that time I kept wondering where the Lord was. I had just recently committed myself more deeply to God’s calling on my life, yet I was suffering in a way I did not understand.
Before I tell you how that situation ended, and you can already guess it ended well because I am still here, it leads perfectly into what we are discussing today.
We are looking at a passage in Lamentations where Jeremiah remembers God’s goodness and mercy in the middle of misfortune.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”
From this passage I want you to remember three truths.
- God’s love is steadfast and never ends.
- His mercies are new every morning.
- The Lord is faithful to the end.
Jeremiah wrote these words after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Chapter three expresses deep personal suffering and a feeling of silence from God. His home was destroyed. His people were devastated and losing hope. He did not know what would happen next.
Jeremiah had warned Israel that destruction would come if they continued in disobedience, but they did not listen. They turned to other gods and walked into sin, which brought them under God’s justice. Yet in the middle of that devastation Jeremiah remembers God’s promise and speaks these words again.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
That is where his hope rests.
God’s love is steadfast and never ends.
Even in the middle of disaster Jeremiah declares that God’s love has not left His people. Every attribute of God displays His love. We receive mercy because of that love. God loved the world so deeply that He sent His only Son, not to condemn the world but so that the world might be saved through Him. Jesus came in love so that you and I might receive mercy.
God is merciful and His mercies are new every morning.
But what is mercy? Mercy is God’s compassionate withholding of deserved judgment toward the guilty.
There is a story told by the Dallas Mass Choir about a little girl with a serious blood disease who had to receive painful shots every week. During one treatment she cried out to her father, begging him to make it stop. When the pain became unbearable she screamed, Daddy please have mercy. Hearing that word, her father rushed forward and stopped the doctor from continuing.
That picture helps us understand God’s heart. Sometimes the trials and burdens of life leave us confused and hurting. Whether suffering comes from our own sin, the broken world around us, or forces we cannot see, we must remember that God is merciful. When we cry out to Him, He hears us.
The Lord is faithful to the end.
This raises an important question. If mercy is compassion shown to the guilty, what are we guilty of? In my story and in the story of that little girl we see that suffering can strike without warning. In Jeremiah’s time not every individual was personally responsible for the nation’s idolatry. Yet we all share something in common.
We all carry a spiritual trait called a sinful nature. Scripture teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This brokenness traces back to our first parents and affects our hearts, our bodies, and the world we live in. Sin has corrupted creation itself.
There is only one cure. The mercy of Jesus Christ received through faith in Him. Through Christ we can call out to God with confidence, knowing we are heard.
In my own situation a miracle took place. After surgery the bleeding did not stop. I was in the hospital and members of my church were visiting me. It had been months and I saw no end in sight. Finally I prayed, Lord I am in Your hands. If this is something I must suffer for life, give me strength. I asked simply for His mercy.
About six hours later the bleeding stopped. Within a couple of days I was normal again. To this day the doctors cannot explain it, and it has never returned. All I could do was praise God.
Sometimes we pray and it feels like there is no answer. It can seem as if our struggles will never end. But we must trust the truth of this passage. Like that little girl we cry out for mercy, and God is faithful and near to those who call on Him.
Jeremiah later reminds us that it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. We wait for eternal salvation and also for His help in our daily lives. In Christ you are not defined by your sins. You are beloved children of God. He takes no pleasure in your suffering, even though we sometimes must walk through hardship.
When God’s justice exposes our need and the weight of sin feels heavy, remember that suffering is temporary. Call out to God for mercy and a renewed spirit. He is faithful to carry you through.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean that God is Merciful? Why do we need it?
- Has there ever been a time you needed Mercy?
- When can we receive mercy? And How can we ask God for His mercy?