“For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;” (Lamentations 3:31-32)
Regarding those who do not know the Lord or reject him, to whom do they turn when faced with trouble and suffering? As we have seen over the past year, they turn to the media, the government, science, as well as social and cultural organizations which share their ideology. The organizations make people feel a kinship with others as they believe themselves to be a part of something larger than themselves.
And yet they eventually find all such groups to be flawed and greedy for they are composed and led by people who do not really love or care about others, only the self. People who trust in such groups may be driven then to despair, cynical agnosticism, and even suicide.
The words that we read from this week’s Old Testament lesson from Lamentations 3 provide great comfort in the midst of pain and suffering. These words are rooted in the experiences of the prophet Jeremiah who, earlier in this chapter, used extremely graphic language to describe his spiritual and emotional horror in response to the fall of Jerusalem as well as his own suffering.
Jeremiah shows us, that for those who seek the Lord, who speak their minds to Him with such bold intensity, their despair will lead them to hope. The hope of which Jeremiah spoke is portrayed with vivid intensity that comforts those in any kind of suffering, pain or tribulation. It may not change the immediate situation or conditions, but it can be a tremendous boost to our faith. That hope is the guarantee that the Lord will have mercy, will supply the strength we need to endure and will be there with us in the midst of our suffering. That hope is not mere wishful thinking or bravado to keep our spirits up. That hope is firm assurance based on the absolute trustworthiness of God who always keeps His word. It is based on Jesus Himself who will lead us into glory as we live by the faith He bestows.