Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:20-26
My soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 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.
A Reflection
I guess there are days when we could all say with Jeremiah, the author of the book of Lamentations, ‘My soul is downcast within me.’ The past months have taken their toll on the mental well-being of many of us as we have been faced with major changes to our lifestyle and sometimes to our health, and we have faced these without access to our normal friendships and support networks.
The book of Lamentations is a series of laments relating to destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple and the exile of the Jewish nation around 586 BC. It is a bleak book, but within it are a few glimmers of light which Jeremiah is able to call on in order to lift his spirit and to give him hope.
When we are feeling downcast within, we too can find hope by calling to mind the Lord’s great love for us. Can you call to mind the blessings that God has poured out on you over the last year and thank him for his faithfulness?
We may have faced many difficulties, but we have not been consumed because God's compassions never fail, they are new for us every morning. Could you start each day with an attitude of gratitude as you reflect on the blessings of the past and put your trust in his faithfulness for each new day?
Having called to mind the compassion and faithfulness of God, Jeremiah gives himself a very timely talking to as he says to himself "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
God’s timing is often not the same as our timing; in the meantime let us wait quietly for him, for he is our portion; he is all we need.
A Prayer
When my soul is downcast within me, Lord,
remind me of your unfailing love, and help me to remain faithful to you, as you remain faithful to me.
Amen
Bless the Lord, O my soul
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