Lamentations 3: A Book of Hidden Promises

This was one of those weeks when I had good reason, again, to thank God for putting me in a ministry that encourages truly exploring God's Word in search of His truths.

The book of Lamentations is one of those books in the Bible that I “skimmed over” whenever we reached it in Bible study or read just the verses associated with this week's sermon.

It is not listed as one of the Books of Poetry even though it is in reality a series of beseeching poems. Before I began to study the Book of Lamentations I had no appreciation of the beauty of God's Love reveled in these verses.

Lamentations 3:28 The Message (MSG)

28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.

Lamentations is more than one man's reaction to the loss of his home. It gives us a biblical approach to suffering. The author teaches us that we can't deal with suffering by ignoring it, pretending it doesn't exist, trying to get out of it, or minimizing its pain. Instead, we have to go through it, remembering that God is with us in it. https://www.ivpress.com/bible/lam/

Sometimes, when we are facing uncertainty, when we are truly frightened, we stumble in our prayers. We are so afraid that we might seem ungrateful for our many blessings while we seek relief for this. We don't want to appear to doubt God's capacity for healing and mercy. We don't know how to respond to well wishers who give us scriptures we have already read, cliches we have already heard.

We are both relieved and hurt when some friends and family members avoid us altogether because they simply don't know how to deal, what to say.

When we finally move on and begin to do the work that He has called us to do, he sends us words of comfort...just the right words.

Lamentations 3:19-24The Message (MSG) It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God 19-21 I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,     the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—     the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there’s one other thing I remember,     and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: 22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,     his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning.     How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).     He’s all I’ve got left. I am grateful, My God, that you chose to show me, again, the promise in Your Word. I am grateful for the reminder that You are with me always. 22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,     his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning.     How great your faithfulness! Thank You Lord! May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!