Here's the thing...... it's been a long time since I've written a blog. I don't know if anyone will ever read this, but I love to figure things out as I write. It is one of the ways that God speaks to me. So, I humbly share this with you.
A while ago, I was searching for the Scripture about God's mercies being new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23):
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 use a parallel Bible with the NIV and The Message (I LOVE it, by the way). The passage that contains this Scripture in The Message is titled "It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help From God." I meditated and wrote about this Scripture for several days and then moved on. I don't have the kind of mind that remembers things well, and once I moved on, I forgot (Forgive me, Jesus). One of the many benefits of journaling is that today I read my entry from January 10, it spoke to me once again, and felt that I needed to share it with my many friends who are struggling today.
This is Lamentations 3:19-33 from The Message:
19-21 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24 God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
to stick it out through the hard times.
28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The "worst" is never the worst.
31-33 Why? Because the Master won't ever
walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
in throwing roadblocks in the way:
So, what does this mean to me, to us, to my friends who are struggling to make sense of it all? I humbly share my notes with you.
Jesus, how do I "passionately wait"? I am so impatient and want things fixed NOW. Jesus' response to me: "Don't DO anything, don't SAY anything. Just wait--but wait with passion!" I KNOW He will answer! He has shown me that over and over, even this week, in the smallest most insignificant thing in the eyes of the world, He answered! How I realized His compassion, His mercy, when I received that small gift that changed everything! (It was a short text message that thrilled and quieted my heart.)
What does "passionately wait" mean to you?
God will always do His part. According to this passage, what is my part?
- Passionately wait
- Diligently seek
- Quietly hope
- Stick it out
- Go off by yourself
- Enter the silence
- Bow in prayer
- Don't ask questions
- Wait for hope to appear
- Don't run from trouble
Each of these may mean something different to each of us; it may mean something different tomorrow than it does today. Share with us what they mean for you.
So what does He promise?
- To prove Himself good
- To never walk out and fail to return
- To work tenderly
- To share His immense stockpile of loyal love
- Not to make your life hard or throw roadblocks in your way
There's enough here to contemplate for a LONG time. What does this passage say to you? I would love to know!
I love you all,
Robin
