I Will Hope
Scott Hamilton, Senior Pastor, Harvest Glasgow, Scotland
But to 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. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” - Lamentations 3:21-24
Do you ever have a feeling that days of peace and rest and hope are nothing but memories? Isn’t it true that part of our problem is that too often we try to bandage it ourselves when we need to bring it to God? Lamentations 3 gives us an insight into the realizations of a heart in the process of just such a restoration.
1. There is something greater than what grieves me. He speaks of affliction. It is emptiness of life whichever way you look at it. He speaks of wandering restlessness—someone living as a refugee. They are not at home but are forever looking for a home.
2. There is something better than what is bitter to me. Lamentations 3:15 speaks of living on a diet of bitterness which is seldom satisfying. Imagine life lived with that taste in your mouth.
3. There is something deeper than what depresses me. But what happens when you can’t seem to get past it? The writer knows. We see it in the verses. He can’t get this out of his mind or heart. It’s binding itself to his soul—defining him. “My soul is bowed down within me.”
4. There is Someone who loves me, even when I am lost. Even when he is feeling lost, loaded down, or let down, he is reminded of something to grab hold of. He says to us, “Call to mind this, go back to this every time in every season.” The one thing that you can’t get away from is God’s grace. Remind yourself to say today, “I will hope.”
5. He remains with me. Find restoration in recalling the goodness of God’s purposes and trusting God’s promises. His character inspires comfort. His Presence brings peace.
6. He remains for me. Did you know that the one certainty you had this morning was His mercy? He gives you more than you could earn and gives each of us better than we deserve.
Your dark night can give way to a deeper joy in God. Say to God this morning, “Great is your faithfulness in fill-in-the-blank.” Make it personal and specific. And know that He does not fail or falter or fake. Choose restoration today; choose to trust His faithfulness.
Journal:
What am I calling to mind today? Is it some cursed circumstance or chronic failure?
Can I call to mind the character and compassion of the One I am called to trust in always and only?
Prayer: Father, help me to depend on You for everything in my life, no matter what. I thank You that You care about every detail of my life and desire for me to have peace in Your presence. Help me to cultivate time with You no matter where I am or what I am doing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
