Lamentations 3:22-26 (NRSV)
Read Lamentations 3:22-26 on biblegateway.com
Verse 22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; Verse 23they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Verse 24"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Verse 25The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. Verse 26It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Devotion
How did you start your day? With a quick push of the snooze button? A desperate search for a cup of coffee? A rushed commute to work? By any chance, did your day start with this reminder: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning?" What makes these words particularly poignant is that they were part of a lament bemoaning the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. If ever there was a time to doubt God's steadfast love and faithfulness, that was it.
Still, the poet held out hope for the future. This hope was based not on a pie-in-the-sky optimism that their troubles would soon be over, but rather in the abiding sense of who God is and how God will act on behalf of God's people. We need that hope too. How about waking up tomorrow with a prayer on your lips: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning."
Prayer
Lord, give me eyes to see the wonders of your love for me and for our world. Amen.