Every New Morning, Lamentations 3:22-33

A little while ago I saw a poster on Facebook that said something to the effect of, “I have a 100% success rate at surviving bad days.” I can’t remember who posted or if it was quoted by someone, only that it is true. Lately I feel like I’ve been having a lot of bad days. A lot of yelling and my son, the dog, my husband. He says that sometimes I’m his Cholula hot sauce – a nice flavor and a tickle on the tongue – but lately, I’ve been a ghost hot pepper, searing and almost unbearably hot. Believe me, I’d rather be Cholula sauce.

Lamentations 3:22-33 is about the fact that even when the people of Jerusalem were unbearably bad, there was still hope because God is infinitely compassionate.

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.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.

The above passage is from the NIV, but truthfully, I love how the ESV translates verses 22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end,

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Whatever happened yesterday, today is new. It’s another chance to do it over and try again. As I mentioned in last week’s post, God uses our circumstances to refine us. That is how God is merciful. Mercy is not giving us what we deserve. We deserve hell, God gives us a new opportunity to repent and be faithful every morning. He is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. When we lose sight of what it means to be righteous, and live holy lives, God does not. He continues to mold and shape us to look more like Christ with every breath we take.

The passage continues though, and it speaks of bearing our troubles with dignity, hope, and understanding. Verse 26 hits me hard: it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. I don’t really wait quietly. I’m a complainer, a whiner. I don’t like being uncomfortable and I generally let others know about it in my own way. Waiting quietly is not something I’m good at, but this passage would suggest that it is because I don’t really understand the goals and will of God. God’s goal for me is that I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37), and that I love my neighbor as myself (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 27:39). If I am focused on the world, then I am not loving God. If I am not loving God then I am not able to love others properly. Thus, God is merciful to me in that He refocuses my attention on Him.

It is good to learn this stuff in our youth. I can still remember how easy life seemed before my son was born. Right now I only have one kiddo, but about when there is two? Three? When they are teenagers with activities from the rising of the sun until the setting of the same? How can I learn to live, love, and trust, when I am busy all the time? Thus the importance of sitting alone in silence to learn about the great mercies of God. Hence my goal for the year: Rest.

When we bury our faces in the dust and dirt of life, and when we are filled with disgrace, we find ourselves longing for so much more. Personally, I think God has to remind me that I am supposed to be dissatisfied with this world so that I can shift my gaze heavenwards and long for something better. The book of Lamentations is a warning about the consequences of being satisfied with this world and not longing for God’s redeeming love and grace to fill our lives.

The last stanza of this passage is an answer to last week’s post about feeling unheard and unseen by God. It’s an answer to the trouble and distress present in the entire book about being rejected and forsaken by God. For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. God wants us to be holy, and He is willing to sacrifice our happiness and comfort for that goal. He is not against us being happy and comfortable, but He loves us too much to let us have our way and be tempted away from heaven by the false gleam of this world. He gives us a fresh start every morning to learn to love Him, live by His standards, and trust in His goodness and sovereignty. Great is His faithfulness!