"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." -- Lamentations 3:21-23
It's over," she cried, "it's all ruined." As I took time to listen to her story, the pain she was undergoing was evident. A string of missteps, disappointments, and careless words had ruined a years-long friendship. I tried my best to console her, to assure her that nothing was truly over. We are people of faith, after all. We believe in resurrection. Forget robust singing women, it's never over until God says it's over.
So much for my attempts to ease the pain of another. There are situations in life in which, as far as we can tell, things are over. Relationships begin and end, all under the unending pressure of that quickly unwound clock we carry inside. There are only so many words that can be said, so many things that can be done. We are frail, dependent creatures.
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Interestingly, this is what makes Lamentations 3 so strange. Traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah, the book of Lamentations is just that: bitterly hard. Jerusalem is in ruins. The Babylonians have had their way. Ruin surrounds the prophet, and every word of destruction once uttered in warning to the leaders of the nation have come to pass. There are no cheers coming from the prophet's corner of the city (much less the well). Lamentations is a book of horrors.
If anyone in the history of the world (save Jesus from the cross) had the right to declare something to be over, it was Jeremiah as he saw God's judgments visited on the city via the Babylonians. You have only to read the beginning of chapter 3 to get a taste of the bile rising in Jeremiah's throat: "though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer..." (v.8). It's over. It's all ruined.
Enter verse 21. Despite the devastation, the prophet brings another song to mind, this one of hope. The circumstances are dire, but the character of the Lord is never in dispute. God is faithful though are lives often are not. In the midst of tribulation, the Lord is merciful. Like the rising of the sun morning, we can depend on God to be present with us, providing daily bread.
This is something I need to remind myself of often. Like Jeremiah, I am quick to assess the battered landscape of my life and pronounce the end. It wasn't too long ago I almost did that for good. Yet, like Jeremiah, a new song entered my heart, reminding me that I was not alone. God is faithful, and on that I can always depend.
I hope you can hear that song, as well. If you can't, I invite you to listen more closely. Be on the lookout for God's chorus. Look to your neighbor and fellow suff erer. As you walk together in Christ, you will find He makes all things new.
The Rev. Dr. Samuel Weddington lives in Bristol, TN, and is a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church, USA. He is the husband of the Rev. Grace Kim, and the proud father of two children. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in counseling.
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