Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
Not Consumed
The entire Canadian town of Lytton, B.C., was consumed by a catastrophic wildfire on June 30, 2021, following a record-breaking heat wave that reached temperatures of 49.6°C. The fire rapidly spread, destroying most homes and structures within a matter of minutes, and resulted in the evacuation of nearly 1,000 residents. Tragically, two people lost their lives due to the fire, and many others were left homeless as they fled to neighboring towns.
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In the midst of the most challenging times of our lives, when we are dealing with disappointment and pain, when we are living in a wilderness time, lament is an appropriate response. The Psalms contain many examples of lament, and, as the prophet Jeremiah weeps over the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem, he writes the book of Lamentations – filled with lament as the name implies. But even in times of lament, there is God, and so in the midst of the book of lament, we read this in Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” In the midst of the challenges faced by Jeremiah and the people of Israel, brought about by their national rebellion against their God, the prophet recalls the faithfulness of God. In the worst of times, Jeremiah is reminded that they will not be consumed – God’s compassions never fail. You can count on that as well. No matter what you are facing, you can count on God’s faithfulness and compassion. You will not be consumed – He is with you in the wilderness and will be with you when He brings you out. Great is His faithfulness.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley