Inspired by “The Importance of Prayer”, An LGG Study – w4d3

Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3:19-26; SOAP: 25-26

The Lord is good to those who trust in him,

to the one who seeks him.

²⁶ It is good to wait patiently

for deliverance from the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26

Reviewing the Situation

Like with so much of Scripture it is easy to zoom in on the verses of hope and joy and the “good parts” of God’s story – but we can’t fully understand or appreciate these verses if we don’t know why the hope or joy or deliverance taste so sweet. Take for instance, Jeremiah’s words in verse 19 – he remembers the afflictions and wanderings, the bitterness and the awful conditions he had endured – the taste of it all was still fresh in his mind – but why? What had been happening that was so bitter and brought so much depression? We could go back through the history of God’s people to fully see and comprehend how things were as Jeremiah records, but for the purpose of today’s passage it will suffice to simply look back to the first of Lamentations. You see, the book of Lamentations begins with Jeremiah mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction – The Temple was destroyed, the people were defeated and taken captive and his sorrow ran deep. So deep was his sorrow that the entire book is saturated with it. Even chapter three still finds him expressing words of lament but with one difference – a glimmer of HOPE! So where did his hope come from in the midst of all the sorrow and devastation? Why, when God’s people were still waiting for deliverance, did he find reason to HOPE? This is what we must not miss in order to truly share in the hope Jeremiah speaks of as we find ourselves waiting for the Lord and His deliverance. Read what he writes in verses 19-21, notice the depth of his despair and then it’s like a light bulb goes on – and he declares, “But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:

What Does He Call to Mind? Why Does He Have Hope?

We don’t have to look far to find out. It happened just after remembering the days of his own impoverished and homeless condition – which could just as easily have led him away from the Lord. Instead, he purposefully “called to mind” the goodness of God which led him to HOPE in the LORD. He chose to remember God’s kindness, compassion, and faithfulness – and then he once again declares his hope in the LORD.

You see, what Jeremiah realized, and what we would be wise to learn from him, is that by remembering the “goodness of God” we will be led to hope and hope will move our heart, as it did his, from despair to ‘trusting in God, seeking Him, and waiting patiently for His deliverance.” It seems to me the key was in a change of focus – he went from “continually thinking about” his past and problems or misery to choosing to remember God’s goodness.

So, what are you waiting on today? Provision for a need? Wisdom for a decision? Healing? Whatever it is, fix your thoughts on the goodness of the Lord, determine to “call to mind” what He has done for you already and let those truths move you to HOPE, and from that hope may you ‘trust in him, seek him and wait patiently for His deliverance. In the meantime, rest and delight in knowing that His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great!

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