DAY
12
WHEN MORNING COMES
LAMENTATIONS 3:18-24
The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT of the book of Lamentations is the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. God’s covenant people were not unaccustomed to divine discipline or the idea that they had failed his covenant at times, but the thought that he would let his own people be taken captive and his own dwelling place be destroyed was unfathomable. Even in their rebellion—their sins, injustices, idolatry, and other expressions of unfaithfulness—the Israelites expected him to deliver them from danger, especially danger from the thoroughly ungodly Babylonians. As Jerusalem and its Temple lay in ruins, and as many of its leaders and young men and women were carried off into captivity, the air was filled with hopelessness and despair. Even tears couldn’t express the sense of utter devastation.
That description fits Jerusalem six centuries before Jesus, but it points to a much larger picture. We also lament the loss of what could have been—the blessings we were given at Creation and the catastrophic way we forfeited them when we rebelled against God. The story of Israel and Judah is the story of us all. We carried God’s image within us. Given the opportunity to know him, experience the fullness of his presence, hear his voice clearly, and receive his love without hindrance, we turned to less worthy loves and ignored his desires for us. We had everything and messed it up. That’s the story of humanity.
In some form or another, it’s also the individual story we each share. We lost innocence somewhere along the way, became our own lords, and began writing the plot of our own lives. Despite our best efforts, they have all taken tragic turns. Like the prophet, we cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!” (verse 18). But the message of the gospel is that God does not leave us in our lament. He bought us back, has restored our relationship with him, and fills our mouths with words of gratitude. His faithfulness never ends and his mercies are new every morning. Every day is the beginning of a new life.
Wake up each morning with that perspective. Put the pain of the past behind you. The Resurrection was a one-time event, but its power applies yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Our laments were not meant to last. No life given to Christ continues to lie in ruins. Whatever we lost can be, and will be, restored.
PRAYER
Lord, I know the pain of regret, and I wish I could live some parts of my life over again—or at least undo some of my decisions. Thank you for redemption and your promise of restoration. May I never miss another blessing you have planned for me. Amen.
To what degree do you live with a sense of regret? How does God’s promise of deliverance and restoration heal the pains of your past?
Further reading: Philippians 3:13-14
When morning gilds the skies, my heart awaking cries: May Jesus Christ be praised!
“WHEN MORNING GILDS THE SKIES,” GERMAN HYMN