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Lamentations 3:21-23 - Hope Springs from God's Faithful Love and Compassion Every Morning.

Lamentations 3:21-23 - Hope Springs from God's Faithful Love and 
Compassion Every Morning. 

Lamentations 3:21-23 (NKJV) This I recall to my mind, Therefore 
I have hope. 22 Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, 
Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great 
is Your faithfulness.  

Lamentations 3:21-23 (TNIV) Yet this I call to mind and 
therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord's great love we are not 
consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; 
great is your faithfulness.  

CONTEXT with Commentary

Hope in the Midst of Affliction: Lamentations 3

   This central chapter marks the turning point in Jeremiah's 
experience of grief and prayer. As he LOOKED AT HIMSELF (vv. 1-18), he saw 
an aged man on a winding path in the dark, being pursued by lions. 
The more he considered his feelings, the more hopeless he felt. 
   Then he looked away from himself and by faith LOOKED TO THE 
LORD (vv. 19-39). Now he can say, "I have hope" (v. 21). Why? Because 
of God's mercies, compassions, and faithfulness: "For He does not 
afflict willingly" (v. 33; Hos. 11:8-9), and He "Will not cast off 
forever" (v. 31). God does not enjoy having to chasten His people; but as 
a loving Father, He must do it (Prov. 3:11-12). 
   Finally, Jeremiah LOOKED TO THE PEOPLE (vv. 40-66) and called 
for a time of prayer and confession of sin. The "weeping prophet" 
(vv. 48-49) pleaded with the people to lift their hearts and hands to 
the Lord and ask Him for forgiveness and mercy. 
   What did God do for His suffering servant? "You drew near on 
the day I called on You, and said, 'Do not fear!'" (v. 57). Wait 
before the Lord (vv. 25-26), and He will speak to you from His Word. 
[Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe] 

   Verses 18-36: Here at the heart of this book we find one of 
the greatest confessions of faith found anywhere in the Bible. 
Jeremiah had been dwelling on his sorrows and the sorrows of his people, 
but then he lifted his eyes to the Lord--and this was the turning 
point. In the midst of sorrow and ruin he remembered the mercy of the 
Lord. "His compassions fail not." We have failed Him, but He cannot 
fail us. "Great is Your faithfulness." 
   The faithfulness of God is a tremendous encouragement in days 
when people's hearts are failing them for fear. If you build your 
life on people or on the things of this world, you will have no hope 
or security; but if you build on Christ, the Faithful One, you will 
be safe forever. He is faithful to chasten (Ps. 119:75); 
Lamentations itself teaches this lesson. He wants to bring us to the place of 
repentance and confession (Lam. 3:39-41). He is faithful to forgive when we 
do confess our sins (1 John 1:9). He is faithful to sympathize when 
we have burdens and problems (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16). We never need 
fear that He is too busy to listen or too tired to help. He is 
faithful to deliver when we cry out for help in temptation (1 Cor. 
10:13). He is faithful to keep us in this life and unto life eternal (1 
Tim. 1:15; 1 Thes. 5:23-24). We can commit our lives and souls into 
the hands of the faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19) and know that He 
will do all things well. . . .  
   In times of trouble we need to imitate Jeremiah who looked 
away from himself to the Lord, and who waited on the Lord in patience 
and faith (3:24-26). Too often we look at ourselves and our problems 
and become so discouraged that we quit. Instead, we must "look away 
unto Jesus" (Heb. 12:1-2) and let Him see us through. It is difficult 
to wait on the Lord. Our fallen nature craves activity, and usually 
what we do only makes matters worse. Jeremiah waited on the Lord, 
trusted in His mercy, and depended on His faithfulness. He knew the 
truth of Isa. 40:31 (NKJV), "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew 
their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall 
run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." [Wiersbe's 
Expository Outlines] 

Verses 22-41: The center and climax, not only of this poem, but 
of the whole five chapters of Lamentations. Here is revealed the 
sublime truth of the Lord's real intentions toward His afflicted people. 
These verses answer in unequivocal positives the many negative 
questions that may arise from a reading of the chapters that open and 
close the book. Here Jehovah is revealed as a God who, though He 
punishes, "doth not afflict willingly" (v. 33), and whose "compassions 
fail not" (v. 22). [SDA Bible Commentary] 

Verses 21-26: The theological high point of the book of 
Lamentations. [NIV SB] 

COMMENTARY APPLICATION 

One of the more poignant expressions of the grace of God found 
anywhere in the Bible. The wonder to Jeremiah is not that some are lost, 
but that any are saved. All would be consumed were it not for God's 
mercies... "Mercy" and "compassion" alone stay the hand of God's righteous 
and just indignation. Nor is this to be construed as an initial 
occurrence only. Each morning His mercies are fresh, verifying God's great 
faithfulness to us (v. 23). Man's only hope rests on this truth. [Believer's 
SB] 

The loving-kindnesses of God--life, health, food, shelter, 
clothing, human affection and companionship, and countless other 
blessings--are renewed every day of man's life with such constancy that one may 
easily take them for granted and forget that each one is a gift, a 
manifestation of the steadfast love of Him who is the Giver of every good and 
perfect gift. [SDA Bible Commentary] 

   God's people have only one way to face life: confidently. 
After all, He loves us, has saved us from eternal death, and is 
committed to guiding us through every moment of life. God wants us to live 
confidently--but too often we allow feelings of personal inadequacy and 
unworthiness to derail our confidence. 
   The apostle Paul lived through horrendous 
circumstances--rejected by his Jewish peers, stoned, abandoned for dead, ridiculed, 
ignored, and often beaten and imprisoned for his devotion to Christ. But 
Paul continued to maintain a confident hope, right up to the very 
end. How did he manage this? 
   When the apostle did not think he could face another day, he 
recalled one simple truth: "I can do all things through Christ who 
strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). He focused on his Lord, just as Jeremiah had: 
"Great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 
'therefore I hope in Him!'" (Lam. 3:23, 24). 
   The classic hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness expands on this 
important idea. Next time you sing it, don't miss the wonder of it: God is 
faithful and does not change (Heb. 13:8). In this one truth we find our 
reason for hope and unwavering confidence. God's unchanging nature 
teaches us that even when we feel unlovely, we remain beautiful to Him. 
We can do nothing to change His love for us--it is unconditional and 
flows freely from His throne of grace. 
   If God decided to change who He is, then every promise He has 
made would be in jeopardy. He would become untrustworthy. But the 
legacy of God is this: He loved us unconditionally yesterday, and He 
loves us with the same love today and tomorrow. 
   Do you trust Him? Have you experienced a strong assurance 
that comes from placing your faith in His unfailing love? Roll the 
burden of your heart onto Him and you will discover that you too can 
sing, "great is Thy faithfulness." [Life Principles SB By Charles 
Stanley re vv. 23, 24] 

EXAMPLES

   My life had been going so well. I had become a Christian in 
college and a missionary after that. I had married a pastor, and we 
adopted two little girls. Then things began unraveling. My 
pastor-husband had an affair and left me with a three-year-old and a 
nine-month-old daughter with special needs and a chronic illness that kept 
getting worse. I couldn't make the rent in Chicago, so I didn't think 
twice about taking a new job--a lectureship at the University of 
Oklahoma. The salary would cover rent, basic needs, and tuition so I could 
get my Ph.D. I loaded the girls into a U-Haul truck and made the 
trip to the university campus, only to discover that the school had 
canceled all lectureships. I had no job. 
   At that moment, Lamentations was the perfect fit as I joined 
Jeremiah to rant and rave against the unfairness of life. But then I came 
to 3:21. Dare I hope? Would his mercies really never cease? 
   With my U-Haul still loaded, the girls at the nearest 
day-care center, and no job, I sat on the university's curb and 
remembered the miracle of finding Christ, seeing my family come to Christ, 
adopting my girls, the trees and oceans I'd sat by, knowing God was 
there. And I knew--God was still there. So was compassion. 
   I ended up calling every college and school in the phone book 
and actually piecing together enough teaching jobs to stay in 
Oklahoma. And I wrote--book after book, drawing often on specific memories 
of God's faithfulness. 
   Dandi Daley Mackall is the award-winning author of more than 
four hundred books for children and adults, including Maggie's Story, 
Love Rules, Eva Underground, Larger-Than-Life Lara, and the 
best-selling teen series Winnie the Horse Gentler. [The One Year Bible Live 
Verse Devotional re vv. 21-24] 

   At the age of eleven, I had a strong urge to be right by God. 
There was no witness around me to teach me how to satisfy what I 
craved, so I did my best to follow God. I soon found out that I could 
not do it on my own, but the desire never left me. At eighteen, I 
stumbled across a Christian magazine. As I looked through it, I felt 
God's presence surround me. Nothing I was reading explained 
salvation, but God reached out and touched my heart. He made everything 
clear. 
   Having become a Christian without the help of anyone else, I 
knew nothing about discipleship. I learned everything by trial and 
error, which led to a compromised Christian life. I was a Bible 
student, eager to grow in faith and knowledge, but I was single and ended 
up making some bad choices and becoming pregnant. I suffered shame 
and humiliation. I felt lonely and alone. But God used the situation 
to draw me close. As I came to the end of myself, he answered all 
my pleas at every point of despair and gave me fresh hope each 
morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 became a great source of courage and 
assurance. I was not alone! 
   God loves us enough to give us a second chance. His 
faithfulness never ends! 
   Jane Woods is a former leader for YWAM (Youth With A Mission) 
Discipleship Training School in Zambia. Born in Zambia, she now lives in 
England. [The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional re vv. 22, 23] 

   While visiting Florida, my husband and I witnessed some 
spectacular sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico. It was unusually chilly one 
evening, so we shared a blanket, dug out a niche in the sand, and watched 
as the sun slowly descended from the sky. I glanced over and saw a 
father and his young son cuddling on the beach, also watching the 
display. As the big ball of fire touched down on the horizon and fell 
into the water, one could almost hear the sizzle. The little boy 
looked into his daddy's face and reassured him, "Don't worry, Dad. 
It'll be back tomorrow." 
   Tomorrow? During my twenty-five-year season of clinical 
depression, "tomorrows" were only extensions of the pain that wreaked havoc 
on my mind, my emotions, and my body. I was sure I was going crazy, 
and at times I prayed for a "real, bona fide disease," one with 
visible wounds, bandages, and a conclusive X-ray. Many times I cried 
out, "Why me, Lord? Wasn't my childhood bad enough?" To sleep 
forever, never having to face another tomorrow, sounded like a peaceful 
solution to the war going on in my mind. But during it all, God heard my 
cries and saw my tears. In his perfect timing, he lifted me out of the 
pit of depression. He put before me life and death, and I chose 
life. 
   That young boy on the beach was more than prophetic. Every 
morning our heavenly Father brings a fresh response to our needs and 
sustains us, regardless of our plight. I don't dread tomorrow 
anymore--because I know he is already there. 
   Gloria Plaisted, an author and conference speaker, 
facilitates workshops and counsels on depression. She and her husband, Rick, 
are empty nesters and live on the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. 
[The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional re vv. 22, 23] 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

   God is utterly trustworthy in all He says and does, and this 
is the rock-bottom reality on which everything in the universe 
depends. In an age when so much unfaithfulness abounds, how good it is to 
realize that we have One who will never let us down, never have to 
apologize for failing us, and never go back on His Word.  
   Am I speaking to someone who has just discovered 
unfaithfulness in a marriage partner, or experienced the break-up of a 
relationship because a person you trusted did not keep their word? It's a sad 
moment when we get a revelation of the inconsistency of the human 
heart. But we need to look into our own hearts also, for none of us can 
claim complete immunity to the sin of unfaithfulness. We may not have 
broken a contract or violated the marriage covenant, but we have been 
unfaithful to Christ in other ways--to the light and privileges that God has 
entrusted to us, perhaps.  
   How refreshing it is, then, to read today's text and focus 
our gaze on the One who is faithful at all times and in all things. 
We may let Him down, but He will never let us down.  
   A chorus I learned as a young Christian comes back to me when 
I am tempted to doubt the faithfulness of God:  
      He cannot fail for He is God, 
      He cannot fail, He pledged His Word, 
      He cannot fail, He'll see you through, 
      He cannot fail, He'll answer you. 
   Gracious and loving God, what inspiration it brings to my 
soul to realize that of all the things You can do, the one thing You 
can't do is fail. May the reality of this be the pavement on which I 
tread this day and every day. In Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With 
Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psa. 89:1] 

If God's compassions are "new every morning" (Lam. 3:23), you 
have the right to claim them daily. Let each morning be for you the 
dawn of a new day. Start over again, no matter how many times you 
failed the day before. If God's mercies never fail, depend on them 
during the day. He is faithful, and His faithfulness will not fail. 
[Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

   Put your hope in My unfailing Love. You live in a world where 
failure abounds - in governments and businesses, schools and churches, 
friends, family, and you. Instantaneous worldwide communication makes the 
failures all the more evident, all the more heart-wrenching. So the idea 
of unfailing Love is radical; there is no adequate model for it in 
this world. Clearly, such Love can be found only in Me - in the very 
essence of who I am.  
   Even the most devoted parent, friend, or lover will let you 
down sometimes, but I am the eternal Lover who will never fail you. 
This is possible because I am infinite, perfect God. Yet I became a 
Man - with human understanding and empathy. In fact, My compassions 
never fail. So find hope in Me and in My amazing provision for 
believers - salvation and righteousness that will never fail. This hope 
strengthens you and pleases Me. I delight in those who put their hope in My 
unfailing Love. (Psa. 147:11; Lam. 3:22; 1Jo. 4:16; Isa. 51:6) [Jesus 
Today by Sarah Young] 

   I love you with an everlasting Love, which flows out from the 
depths of eternity. Before you were born, I knew you. Ponder the 
awesome mystery of a Love that encompasses you from before birth to 
beyond the grave.   
   Modern man has lost the perspective of eternity. To distract 
himself from the gaping jaws of death, he engages in ceaseless activity 
and amusement. The practice of being still in My Presence is almost 
a lost art, yet it is this very stillness that enables you to 
experience My eternal Love. You need the certainty of My loving Presence in 
order to weather the storms of life. During times of severe testing, 
even the best theology can fail you if it isn't accompanied by 
experiential knowledge of Me. The ultimate protection against sinking during 
life's storms is devoting time to develop your friendship with Me. 
(Jer. 31:3; Lam. 3:22-26) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

   As you look into the day that stretches out before you, you 
see many choice-points along the way. The myriad possibilities these 
choices present can confuse you. Draw your mind back to the threshold of 
this day, where I stand beside you, lovingly preparing you for what 
is ahead.  
   You must make your choices one at a time, since each is 
contingent upon the decision that precedes it. Instead of trying to create 
a mental map of your path through this day, focus on My loving 
Presence with you. I will equip you as you go, so that you can handle 
whatever comes your way. Trust Me to supply what you need when you need 
it. (Lam. 3:22-26; Psa. 34:8) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

   Though I bring grief, I will show compassion. So do not 
despair when hard times come your way, and do not try to escape them 
prematurely. Timing is My prerogative! There is a time for everything, and a 
season for every activity under heaven. Grief is a season, and I use it 
for your good.  
   Unlike the four seasons of the year, the seasons of your life 
are not orderly or predictable. When you are grieving, you may feel 
as if sorrow will accompany you the rest of your days. But remember 
that I have promised to show compassion. So great is My unfailing 
Love for you.  
   When you are suffering, search for signs of My merciful 
Presence. Even during your darkest days, streaks of Light break through 
the storm clouds - providing hope and comfort. My unfailing Love 
shines upon you always. Look up to Me and see My Face shining down upon 
you. I never run out of compassions. They are new every morning. 
(Lam. 3:32; Ecc. 3:1; Num. 6:25; Lam. 3:22-24) [Jesus Today by Sarah 
Young] 

SPECIAL MUSIC VIDEO 

Beauty for Ashes by Crystal Lewis: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDhlTzbyFRo 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video] 

Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782

Musical Devotional On Christian Living: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx 

Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/

LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS

Revelation Today Series by Pastor John Bradshaw: 
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/ 

Prophecies Decoded Sermon Series by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657