The Hope We Have In Light of Eternity

​Lamentations 3:22-26
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness!
​ ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul. Therefore, I hope in Him!
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
 
                If asked the question, “Have you thought about eternity today?”, most of us would probably say, “No, not really… because I’ve had this or that going on, or there are more pressing things occupying my mind.” It’s the daily things, the mundane, the routine, the busyness, that draws our focus away from the eternal and onto ourselves or the things which this world deems more important. However, when the unexpected occurs, life takes a drastic turn, we experience a loss of some kind, or when we come face to face with the brokenness of the world around us, our focus is quickly drawn back to the “things of God, the eternal, the lasting.” It’s when we’re confronted with such circumstances that we may begin to ponder these truths that ground us, that give us hope, that help us take small steps each day holding onto the promises of God’s word and who He says we are in Him.

                In the midst of a world where he sees so much sin and hopelessness, the prophet Jeremiah writes, “Through the Lord’s mercies (God’s divine favor shown to us instead of His wrath) we are not consumed, because His compassions (God’s divine sympathy toward us, understanding our desperate need for Him) fail not. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” God’s compassions for us each morning include His desire to be intimately involved in our lives, His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness toward us, as well as His patience with us. Understanding that these aspects of God’s character are readily available to us each and every new morning should serve to break the “bondage” we often feel because of our own improper view of God, of ourselves as He views us, our circumstances, and of our position as “free” to live in Christ our Savior.

          Along life’s journey, there are often whispers from within ourselves, from the opinion of others, or our enemy himself, “That you’re not good enough, nothing you ever do will make you worth anything, you are hopelessly lost in a state of being without meaning or purpose.” These whispers are all lies which condemn us, discourage us, defeat us, and blind us to the immeasurable worth and value we possess simply because the very hands of God created us. (Psalm 139:13-14;16) Jeremiah addresses this issue as he continues, “The Lord is my Portion (He is my everything), says my soul. Therefore, I hope in Him!” Our hope, peace, and contentment must rest in the fact that, ‘God is enough’ and we are sufficient in Him, which is what Jeremiah is referring to when he says, “The Lord is my portion.” Nothing else in all the world – not relationships, not accomplishments, not possessions, not high position, not human affirmation, not good works can ultimately bring inner peace and a sense of value, worth, meaning, and purpose to our lives other than knowing Christ and who we were created to be through Him.
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         Living life with eternity in view regardless of our past, present, or what we think our future might hold, gives us the strength to press on in the face of adversity, trials, pain, and change. In response to living life from an eternal viewpoint, Jeremiah writes, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” When our view seems obscured and we can’t seem to see what God is doing, we must trust that in His infinite wisdom He knows what is best for our lives. Our part is to be still before Him waiting in eager expectation, getting into His word, inviting Him into our circumstances, and in faith, trusting that His renewed mercies and compassion for us every morning will carry us through another day.
 
Connecting Faith & Life:

            Father, thank You for this day You have made filled with Your new mercies and compassion which never cease. You are forever faithful and are our portion (our everything) providing us with renewed hope, purpose, and meaning for each new day as we walk with You on this journey of life. Lord, we find true peace, hope, and rest as we wait quietly for You to move in the daily circumstances of our lives. The Hope we have is in the Light of Eternity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.