Our scripture this morning is Lamentations 3:24-26.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
The prophet Jeremiah was called to warn Israel of the impending destruction of their way of life by the army of Babylon. The Book of Lamentations tells of the grief they experienced as their country was destroyed. It is an emotional cry to God as a reaction to this calamity.
Even though the temple and the city no longer exist, God gives His people hope for the future. This is another desert experience for them where they have no resources of their own and must turn to God for relief. The Lord says “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number” (Jeremiah 23:3).
In this passage Jeremiah expresses the faith of Israel, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The people who had drifted away from trusting God now see He is the only way to salvation. We can experience His saving grace in our world today, even in the seemingly “modern” trials we face. We are still His people and He is our eternal God.
Gracious God, we often bring evil on ourselves when we forget who and whose we are. Help us to see that our strength is no match for sin but through Christ’s sacrifice for us we are made whole. Amen.
