He faithful love of the Lord never ends!  
    His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.

These are some of my favorite verses to pray in the mornings, but as I prayed them today, I asked myself, “Why are these found in the middle of a book in the Bible named Lamentations?”. These verses are full of hope while lamenting means for one to express grief, regret, sorrow, or despair. The book of Lamentations describes God’s judgement on the Israelites and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Imagine walking through the desolate ruins of Jerusalem seeing the pain and suffering of the people. What do you see? I see great despair and heartache. The writer of Lamentations, most likely the prophet Jeremiah, vividly describes this scene which is a result of the Israelites’ unconfessed sins; however, in the middle of a seemingly hopeless situation, the writer finds hope in God’s love, mercy and faithfulness!

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The suffering of Jerusalem was a result of their sins. God made a covenant with the Israelites and desired their repentance, but instead they experienced the consequences of their sins. God is faithful because when He says that He will do something, He does it; when He says something will happen, it will happen. God keeps His promises! In the end, He will not let evil win and He wants to make things right between us! These verses exclaim that each day is a chance to experience His never-ending love, mercy, compassion, and grace.

I have heard myself lament over this very gray winter in the Eagle River area! When I recently returned from a trip to be greeted by bright, sunny days, I began to see that He had been walking me through this verse to provide a new perspective. When I awoke to gray days again this winter, I could still feel His faithful love giving me what I needed to persevere. I realized He had been faithful to me all along!

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I don’t know what makes your days gray, but I do know God wants to give you a fresh start each morning to create new hope. So, imagine walking through your own life and seeing the effects that sin has left. Do you see any ruins from your words or actions? Do you see any suffering from your choices? Do you grieve for unconfessed sins? Are you lamenting over something? If you feel despair, reach out to find support. In the middle of life, you, too, can find new hope in God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness!

Lord, I stand in awe of your never-ending love and compassion. Thank you for the promise of a fresh, new start each day and for giving me perseverance each gray day this winter to find hope. In my first waking moments may I accept Your love and compassion. Help me to fully trust that You will create something new each day out of my life knowing that You faithfully keep Your promises. Help me to reflect You, Lord, by extending love and compassion to those around me. Great is Your faithfulness! I love YOU, Amen.