I’m past Jeremiah now and finished Lamentations. Now, I’m in Ezekiel. I have a few verses to share with you from Lamentations. For the most part, Lamentations is a very sad book about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the suffering of the Jewish people. Notice these verses from Lamentations 3.
Lamentations 3:21-27 (ESV) -- But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Lamentations 3:40-41 (ESV) -- Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:
Lamentations 3:55-57 (ESV) -- “I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’
You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’
What is the purpose of these verses in the midst of the description of the suffering of the people of Jerusalem? These verses let us know that God is always with us to help us. Many of us are suffering because of this pandemic. We miss the fellowship of our families, friends, and churches. What is God telling us in all of this? He is saying, “Don’t worry. I’m with you. I will help you get through this. I am always here when you really want me.”