God's Steadfast Love

It is possible to hear the truth so often it can sound like an empty cliché.  A song taken from scripture called "The Steadfast Love Of The Lord" goes, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning, new every morning.  Great is thy faithfulness (oh Lord), great is thy faithfulness."  One might imagine these words were spoken by a person who reveled in the blessings of God away from all trouble, one who celebrated countless blessings of health and wealth, without an enemy or care.  To the contrary:  these words are taken from the Lamentations of Jeremiah who, as he put it, was a "man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath."

The wisdom and faith demonstrated by this revelation of God's mercies was forged in the worst human suffering.  If you have doubts, read the first three chapters of the book of Lamentations.  You will read of the sufferings of a person who did not blame the enemies who besieged and starved people, but by the hand of God who was like an enemy when He chastened the nation of Israel for their sin.  It is one thing when we are buffeted by an adversary we can see and overcome by our might or wits, but another thing entirely to face the wrath of God meted out in judgment by whatever means He determines.  The Law contained blessings and curses for those under rule of the Law of Moses, so the sober warnings of the devastation of sin should not have been a surprise.

Nothing could have prepared the people for the intense suffering they would endure days on end.  Jeremiah and the children of Israel felt forgotten by God in their troubles; their prayers were not heard.  Victims young and old lay in the streets without burial, and people resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.  Though Jeremiah was afflicted and horrified by the devastation of Jerusalem and her people, he realised their only hope was in God.  The only reason why they existed or endured to go into captivity was because of the mercy of God.  Lamentations 3:21-25 reads, "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. ²⁴ "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him!" ²⁵ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

Oh, that such wisdom would abide in our hearts when we suffer!  Many foolishly cast off their confidence and hope in God because of their pains, questioning or blaming Him for trials He allows.  Jeremiah read in the Law why God allowed such suffering, and we may not always have that luxury.  But we can understand and appropriate what Jeremiah discovered in the midst of intense suffering, that God is merciful, compassionate and faithful at all times.  It is always fitting to place our hope in the LORD, to wait on Him and seek Him especially when we are hurting and everything seems against us.  Since we are in Christ by grace through faith, we know He is for us and the suffering He allows has a constructive, corrective and conditioning purpose that glorifies Him.  During the siege of Jerusalem God's steadfast love was on display and His mercies were new every morning because He is faithful.  We cannot possibly overstate the mercies and compassion of our great God in all seasons of life, for He is only good and does not change.