Sunday 15 Apr 2018

April 15: Lamentations 3:1-26

Key Verse: Lamentations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Devotion:
O how we can get depressed and revel in our depressions; how we can get stuck in and really feel sorry for ourselves! And boy do we enjoy it sometimes… I am sure we have all been there at some stage, wondering just how bad things can get and then complaining evermore when they do seem bad. But notice the first three words… “I the man”.

All our worries and all our ailments are brought on our human selves. It is the human part which we complain about, the human part we feel sorry for, the human part which feels like it is going to fall apart at any moment… Our human parts are feeble! The temptations are given into by our human bodies. But what of us? What of the real you and me?

No matter how bad things may seem to get it is through God’s mercy we know that they are not any worse than they are. No matter what we think of the things falling apart around us, we know God’s compassions will never fail. No matter how physical our lives may get, God’s compassion will always be there; His mercies will never fail. No matter how things break down and how rotten things may get, God will always be there as He has done before time began!

It is our duty to wait patiently on God for His mercy and compassion. It is our hope that He will deliver us from our ailments. It is our knowledge He is in control no matter how much we get out of control. Our afflictions will and do work for the good of God – as bad as that may seem. We find strength in coming through our afflictions. We find that even when we seem to break down physically, God will and is always there giving us the strength and hope we need. He humbles us so we can know He is real. He allows things through our lives to prepare us in some way for what lies ahead.

I know there are many spiritual battles we have which overwhelm us, but if tribulation works patience, that patience works experience and through that experience a hope which makes us not ashamed. God gets the glory!

Points to Ponder:
How much have you been through?

How much has God strengthened you?