Lamentations 3:1-41  The first 18 verses are Jeremiah's lament for himself.. " I am a man who has seen affliction.."  It has come.. from the Lord's hand, Jeremiah confesses... "because of the rod of His wrath.."  

Jeremiah feels abandoned.. he is walking in darkness; his flesh and skin are wasting away; he is broken, bitter, and desolate.  "So I say, ' My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord." (v18)

There are times in our lives when we can truly relate to these feelings.. out of strength and out of hope.  

But, as desperate and dark as it was for Jeremiah, he chooses to remember:

"Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me, this I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is His faithfulness.. "

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul." He is my inheritance, my allotment, my lot, my ration.  "Therefore I have hope in Him."  Jeremiah reminds himself that God is good.. that He will have compassion on those who wait for Him and who seek Him. 

All that has afflicted Israel and Jeremiah, himself.. came because of sin.  Yet, God does not willingly bring the affliction.. He is Just and Faithful. 

"Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord. We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven."

So here we have a dark, desolate and depressing situation.. hopeless.. the city is gone; the people are either dead or in captivity; those left have made Jeremiah even more miserable because of their hatred and persecution.. yet.. he sets his mind on God's faithfulness and compassion!  And, in doing so, gives us a passage that has helped thousands of us to find hope again in our darkest hours!  Praise the Lord!

Father, thank You for being a good, good Father...who hears us when we cry out to You; who comes to us when we wait upon You.  We join in Jeremiah's proclamation.. You are our portion and therefore we have hope! Whatever we face.. this day.. this week.. or this year.. may we recall to mind the truth that Your loving kindnesses never cease.. that Your compassion never fail.. and that You are always faithful! Thank You, Lord!  All praise and glory and honor to Your holy Name. Amen