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Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. —Colossians 3:16-17 So you're getting into the Word of God, and that's great. But is the Word getting into you? When your friend is going through a challenging life experience, do you have an appropriate word from Christ to encourage him? Is the Word becoming so deeply intertwined into your heartbeat — the very essence of who you are — that you're experiencing God’s transforming grace pulsating through your veins? Are you dwelling  in it so that when you get wounded by the things of this world you "bleed" the Word? I believe that Paul wants us to experience the Word of Christ in our lives this way when he says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” In the days when Paul wrote to the church at Colossae, there were false teachers that wanted people to follow them and their puffed up words. These teachers had their man-made traditions, religious do’s and don’ts, and their own worldview that was out of line with the Word of Christ. False teachers in Paul’s time — and our time as well — tried to harmonize God’s Word with their teachings, but that cannot succeed. Paul is not telling us to just read the Word of Christ or to just hear it being read, but to allow it to get into us, to dwell in us richly. When we are being enriched by the Word of Christ it becomes a part of our lives and enriches our public and private worship of God. As an outflow of the Word dwelling in us richly, it produces wisdom with which we can truly teach and admonish one another. The Word has a way of changing us and giving us insights for our good. Timothy shows us how the Scripture works in us: “…the scriptures make us wise to salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord..” (2 Timothy 3:15) They are “…good for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness..” (2 Timothy 3:16) So that “…we may be made complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17) As we dwell in, and then give out, the Word of Christ, it will affect our hearts and we will not be able to stop bursting out in song to the One who is worthy of all praise. This heart response will be a part of both our private worship and our public worship as well. Can you imagine a church filled with worshippers who are so in dwelt and changed by the Word of Christ that they can’t help but sing it out to the glory of God? And whatever we do—in our speech or our actions—we are to do them in the name of our Lord Jesus, not in our name or power, but in Jesus! We do this with thankful hearts to our God who has made this all possible for us through Christ. In one of his sermons on this passage, Charles Spurgeon said, “Therefore, beloved, be much with your Bibles and let your Bibles be much with you—for your own profit, for the profit of others and for the glory of God! So be it, for Christ’s sake! Amen.” For Reflection What substitutes are robbing you from experiencing God’s Word dwelling in you this way? Describe what you think a worship service would look like if all who came were richly dwelling in the Word of Christ. How is the Holy Spirit speaking to you as you think about the Word of Christ dwelling in you richly?

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — C olossians 3:16-17 Scripture says the Word of Christ is to dwell in believers through study, meditation, and application —living out the Word. If the Word of God is to dwell in us, it must first enter us. We are to believe it, live it, and let it soak in. God’s truths must be stored in our souls. When the words of Christ become a part of the believer, they come forth naturally as psalms (songs from the Old Testament), hymns (songs of praise to God), and spiritual songs (expressions of Bible truth) with thankfulness. We sing to please ourselves or others, but also to praise God. By allowing Christ to dwell in us, we can teach or instruct, and admonish or counsel, one another in all wisdom. Our singing praise to God should not be just for others to hear, but in singing from our hearts, we worship God Himself. Give Thanks to God God’s Word will transform our lives if we let it dwell in us richly. And if we let God’s Word dwell in us, we can only assume it will dwell among the church body. Churches today seem to have a lack of good Bible teaching in Sunday schools or Bible study hours, if they even offer these classes. Interest in God’s Word can give way to musical performances and various entertainments. Don’t get me wrong–we can teach and encourage one another through the singing of the Word of God. But consider a caution: Warren Wiersbe has said, “A singer has no more right to sing a lie than a preacher has to preach a lie. It is a dangerous thing to separate the praise of God from the Word of God.” Many of our great songs of faith were written by believers who knew, and incorporated in their songs, the doctrines of the Word of God. Paul describes an orderly worship service in 1 Corinthians 14:26, What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. We not only sing to ourselves but to others and to the Lord. If we intend to sing from our hearts, then we must have God’s Word dwelling in our hearts. As we reflect on the circumstances we are living in today with the Coronavirus surrounding us and our friends and family experiencing pain, let’s ask God to help us sing with grace in our hearts as did Paul and Silas in Acts 16:22-25, The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, In everything we do or say, let it glorify and honor our Lord. For Reflection Do you take the necessary time to read, study, and memorize God’s Word? Does God’s Word dwell in your heart? Is your Bible on a shelf or stored in your soul? How can we tell if we are filled with the Word of God?

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. ⁴Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock. —Isaiah 26:3-4 You don’t have to look very far to see a world without peace. Earthquakes ravaging Nepal, racial tension in the United States, ISIS threatening terrorist action, and so many other examples testify that we live in a world desperately needing peace. The situation can seem hopeless. So much so that I recently heard the sentiment, “Why would you want to bring any more children into this terrible world?” If this world were our final hope, that question would be a fair one. We easily see the world lacks peace. But in Isaiah 26:3-4 we read, “You keep him in prefect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock.” This is part of a song that will be sung when “the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory [is] before his elders” (Isaiah 24:23). We can find hope in the fact that a day is coming when God’s reign will bring perfect peace on the earth. Verse 3 of Isaiah 26 says this will be a perfect peace for those trusting in the Lord. Our trust is in Jesus Christ who came and announced that the Kingdom of God has come (Matthew 4:17). The reign of God has broken into this world, a world needing peace, through Jesus Christ who is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom of God on earth, bringing peace for those who put their trust in him, but his kingdom is not fully realized. The devil is still on the prowl, looking to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Verse 4 encourages us to “Trust the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” The kingdom that Jesus has inaugurated is not a temporary one, but an everlasting one. Isaiah 9:7 says, “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” The reign of Jesus will be forever, and because there will never be a time when he is not reigning, we can put our trust in Him both now and forever. Peace comes from trusting Him. If we trust in anything else—ourselves, money, political processes, military strength—we will never find the peace that we desire and need. In the midst of a world without peace, we have a King who is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Even while we wait for His return and the establishment of His perfect peace on all the earth, we live under His reign with His peace guarding our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). We know the world is not as it should be, but we know that one day it will be when Jesus returns. In that future hope, we can find peace today. For Reflection In what areas of your life do you lack peace? In what areas of your life are you not fully trusting God? Are you looking forward to Jesus’ return and eternal reign?

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. ⁴Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock. —Isaiah 26:3-4 We live in uncertain times. It is so easy to feel worried and panicked. For many of us, thinking about the future can bring huge swells of fear and anxiety. Perhaps, getting through your day is difficult and scary. Or maybe you aren’t fearful or anxious but simply bored as the monotony of being in “lockdown” slowly chips away at your peace. No matter your circumstances, God knows you intimately and He is trustworthy. The Scriptures tell us He is an everlasting rock. He is the rock that brings peace, not just in easy times, but even and especially in difficult times. He is a rock of peace in fun times and scary times. He is always a rock and His peace is always available to His people. Our God is the one who was and is and is to come (Revelation 1:8). He wasn’t just a rock and fortress for the generations that came before us. He is here now—in the midst of this global crisis—offering security and certainty as the foundation of our faith and our life. Our God is a rock that offers such hope and stability that we can have peace in even the most trying of times. Allow yourself a moment to pause and meditate on this encouragement; feel the beauty of this reminder that our God offers perfect peace. How can we grow in our trust in the Lord and cultivate unshakeable peace in anxious and uncertain times? The most obvious answer is to spend time with God. Read your Bible. Dedicate time to prayer. Pray throughout your day. Practice constant communion with the Lord of the universe. Set your mind on things above. Read books that inspire and encourage you with stories of Christians who have gone before us. As our human instincts draw us to news from around the country and the world, seek out things that bring His hope. Consider limiting news or television shows that cause you distress or anxiety. Listen to music that reminds you that God is trustworthy. If journaling isn’t part of your regular rhythm, try it! Reflect on God’s goodness to you over time. Pursue His goodness and grace in the here and now. Remind yourself of His faithfulness to His people in general and to you personally. Journal your fears, and journal His praises. Praise Him! Remind yourself that He is worthy of your trust, that He is your everlasting rock. Talk to friends who point you to Jesus. Encourage others, bless others, look for ministry opportunities. There are many. And turn your gaze heavenward. In this moment when our minds are restless, I pray that your mind would stay focused on our gracious God. He will keep you in His perfect peace. He is our everlasting rock. We can always trust in Him. For Reflection What is your mind fixed on? What do you spend most of the day thinking about? What do you trust in? Is it the Lord? How can you remind yourself to trust in the Lord? How can you encourage someone else in the Lord today?

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." ²⁵The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. ²⁶It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. —Lamentations 3:24-26 What do you do when you’re hit with something harder than you ever imagined? What do you do when nothing you can do will fix the suffering you are facing? Lamentations is a good textbook for us in times of crisis and sorrow. Let’s reflect on these verses and the course of action they set before us. “'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul." Maybe you feel as though much has been taken from you. Employment, health, loved ones, fellowship, peace of mind, financial security, freedom. But let’s orient our hearts toward what has not and can not be taken from us. "The Lord is my portion." If we have the Lord, our portion is not only secure but also bountiful. “Therefore I will hope in him” provides our first call to action. Where can we place our hope in these uncertain days? In a vaccine? In unemployment checks? In hand sanitizer and toilet paper supplies? In government? In medical providers or personal protective equipment? In our own insight or wisdom about what should be done? No, let us focus all our heart’s hope and confidence for good in the One who is our true portion, our sovereign King, the wise and good Shepherd, the Lord who is our Savior. Say with Jeremiah, "I will hope in him." Even in calamity, there is a promise of good for those who belong to the Lord: "He is good to those who wait for him." As a pastor pointed out recently, “Romans 8:28 didn’t stop being true for us because COVID-19 came.” Let’s hear another call to action here. “The soul who seeks him” is the recipient of the LORD’s good. Oh, may we seek him earnestly. Seek him in his Word. Seek him in prayer. Seek him with other believers (even if you gather together via Zoom). As Hebrews 11:5 encourages us, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him ” (emphasis added). "It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Here we come to the one instruction that is repeated in this small passage: wait . This call may be the hardest for our human nature. But hear how it also comes with a double promise: "The Lord is good to those who wait for him…It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Do we need all of God’s goodness? Do we feel desperate and helpless? Although it cuts against the grain, let us heed this call and exercise God’s own Spirit-given resources to “wait quietly.” What do we wait for? "The salvation of the Lord." That salvation is as secure as ever, settled eternally by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In these days of trial, let’s hope, seek, and wait together for the one who is our rich, bountiful, life-giving Portion. For Reflection What do you consider your greatest possession or “portion”? Is it feeling shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic? What would it look like for you to say with this author, “The Lord is my portion”? How can you heed these verses and their call in your life today? What would be a practical expression of hoping in the Lord, seeking him fully, and waiting quietly for him? Why can we wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord even if everything around us seems to be falling apart? How is Jesus the source of that hope?

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” ²⁵The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. ²⁶It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:24-26). It seems to be a characteristic of human nature that we don’t like waiting. Modern culture’s obsession with efficiency only exacerbates the struggle. If we sit more than a few minutes in the drive-through, we start to wonder where the world has gone wrong. How much more difficult it is to wait patiently when you are in the midst of genuine, prolonged suffering. How can it possibly be a “good” thing to have to “wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord”? For one thing, waiting trains us by experience that the Lord really is sufficient as our “portion.” We are so prone to seek our joy and satisfaction in the things of this world. And while it is true that God gives us many good gifts to enjoy, He alone will finally satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. Waiting pushes us to seek our contentment and place our hope in the Lord Himself rather than our immediate circumstances. It helps us taste this reality in our experience. Furthermore, as we have the opportunity to wait on the Lord and experience the variety of ways in which He saves and provides, it encourages us to trust Him for the final salvation He has promised us in Christ. When you find yourself in the midst of suffering, doesn’t it often feel like it will never end? And yet most of us know what it is like to have been in a situation that felt that way, and then sooner than we expected, we experienced real relief: The school year that you thought you would never survive suddenly gives way to summer. The job situation that was so overwhelming and difficult changes and the burden lifts dramatically. The exhaustion of caring for a newborn transitions into actual nights of sleep. A season of relational loneliness is forgotten as new relationships spring up and blossom. The point is not that seasons of suffering will always be relieved in this life. The point is that most of us know what it's like to be in the midst of suffering that feels like it will never end.  But then it does.  And that is a small foretaste of God’s promise to everyone who hopes in the Lord. For those who are in Christ, none of your suffering will last forever. All of it will give way to a glory and joy in the presence of the Lord that are beyond all comparison.  As the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:23-25, “We wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” For Reflection What circumstances in your life are tempting you to be impatient with God? How does knowing that one day God will bring all of your suffering to an end give you hope? Ask the Lord to help you wait eagerly and with patience. John Kimbell is  Pastor of Preaching at Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, where he has been serving since 2008. He completed his M.Div. and Ph.D. at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. John was introduced to regular Scripture memory through the Fighter Verses memory program at Bethlehem Baptist Church while attending college in Minnesota. John is married to Sarah and they have six children.

“ The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." ²⁵The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. ²⁶It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. —Lamentations 3:24-26 Jesus read these verses of Scripture. Can you see Him standing at the desk in the synagogue, calloused hands resting on the scroll, poring over the poetic anguish of Lamentations in light of his future suffering? He would not have failed to see God’s judgment against Israel. The edges of Lamentations—large edges that we call chapters 1-2 and chapters 4-5—are full of the judgments of the Lord. God had torn apart his disobedient people like a bear lying in wait and a lion in hiding. Perhaps Jesus pondered how He Himself, the true Israel, would one day be torn to pieces. Had He not come for this very purpose: to bear judgment, to drink the cup of God’s wrath, to become a curse for us? Yes, He would be torn to pieces. Israel’s judgment was but a foreshadowing of what He would soon face. Judgment is all around the edges of Lamentations. It encircles the sufferer, taking away every place to stand until the only ground remaining is a tiny island in the middle. But, oh, the ground in the middle is good! It is solid ground. The middle of Lamentations—what we call chapter 3—is a place of hope, like a roaring campfire on an icy evening. Yahweh is there, blazing in goodness. How encouraged Jesus must have been by Lamentations 3:24-26! It’s easy to imagine Him taking these words upon His lips, speaking them out loud to Himself. They were His Fighter Verses before they were ours. With the devastation of the cross looming in His future, Jesus would take His stand on the middle ground of the lament. He would remember, when everything else was taken away, that His Father is portion enough. He would hope in the goodness of His Father. He would seek His Father quietly, believing that the Lord would save Him from death. And now, dear Christian, behold the risen Christ! Jesus was no fool to have made the Lord his portion. His hope did not disappoint, and neither will yours. Just as surely as Yahweh raised his Son from the dead, so in Him you too will be raised. You will see the salvation of the Lord. Post tenebras lux is inscribed on the coins of Geneva, Switzerland, and on the wall of the city: “After darkness, light.” This phrase is the motto of the Reformation, yet it captures the hope of Lamentations. No matter how deep the darkness encompassing your life, light is coming. If your feelings tell you otherwise, just look at the empty tomb. Jesus is alive, and he will lose none of those whom the Father has given Him. So stand with Jesus on the middle ground of Lamentations. Seek the Father in Him. Wait quietly on His salvation. You will see the light.

[But] this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23) These verses from Lamentations are some of the most well-known and well-loved statements in Scripture for good reason. Perhaps what comes to mind when you read them is a painting that depicts a place of peace and tranquility: a cozy cottage tucked between two mountains, a flowing stream under a softly glowing sunset, a flower garden off to the side, and these verses appearing underneath in beautiful calligraphy. What’s surprising to many is the context in which they were written.  In reality, the entire chapter leading up to these verses casts a picture of excruciating suffering, sorrow, tragedy, hunger, death, and loss. In it, Jeremiah is describing the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by foreign enemies as he experienced it. His words powerfully capture going through circumstances that would seem to extinguish any glimmer of future hope. Such a dark backdrop may seem to make these statements less appealing or less encouraging. On the contrary, it should help us appreciate their true preciousness and beauty. When circumstances would seem to offer no reason for hope, Jeremiah declares that there is always  a place where hope can be found. That place is the steadfast love of the Lord and His mercies. Notice, the mercies of God are not only everlasting, they are new every morning. There is a particularity to that statement. Not only does God’s mercy last forever, but it will be freshly provided and uniquely appointed for tomorrow’s needs. I once had a family member schedule a meeting with a financial planner. The planner asked him to explain his financial goals. He wryly quipped in response, “Honestly, I’d just like to make it to Thursday.” Maybe you can relate. Sure, a retirement plan sounds great, but you would just like to make it to Thursday! The good news of Lamentations 3:21-23 is that God’s mercy will be there for you in eternity, and on Thursday. God doesn’t ask you to live on borrowed mercy from yesterday. Nor does He only promise mercy for the distant future. He will provide His mercy for tomorrow’s needs. He will provide for that task, that decision, that conversation, that apology, that offer of forgiveness, that material need, that physical pain–whatever is truly  needed. He gives new mercy at the start of every tomorrow. And He will continue to provide it every day and every moment for eternity. Therefore, no matter what dark circumstances you may be facing, you can say with Jeremiah, “I have hope.” For Reflection When hard circumstances arise, where do you tend to look for comfort? Ask God to help you see where His new mercies are intersecting your life today. Thank God for His never ending, ever new mercies. John Kimbell is Pastor of Preaching at Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, where he has been serving since 2008. He completed his M.Div. and Ph.D. at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. John was introduced to regular Scripture memory through the Fighter Verses memory program at Bethlehem Baptist Church while attending college in Minnesota. John is married to Sarah and they have six children.

[But] this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. —Lamentations 3:21-23 She came to us abused, abandoned, and angry. She had just turned three years old, and we would be her 9th foster care placement. Alone in the world at three? Brothers and sisters, such things ought not to be! My husband and I dropped to our knees and called out to the God who abandons neither widow nor orphan. “Help us, Lord! Help us to be able to help her!” We prayed for wisdom, for guidance, and for all God’s Sovereign power to compensate for our helplessness to parent, to heal such a wounded little soul. As a result of those prayers, a most compelling conviction gripped us from the start—God made it clear that we must be there for her, constantly. She had been abandoned by her mother and lived in a state of transiency her entire life. We needed to become pillars of constancy and resource for every hour of her day. When the caseworker wanted to send a car to take her to therapy sessions and back, I said, "No thanks. I'll take her." And when it became apparent that she needed socialization and enrichment, I enrolled her in a Christian preschool, but first took a job there as a teacher in her room so I would never be where she could not see or interact with me. God called us to utter, committed faithfulness to her so that He could live out His commitment of faithfulness to the orphan through us. Is it only to the widow and the orphan that God extends His rich, rock-solid faithfulness? Absolutely not! The Scriptures sing from cover to cover the praises of His faithfulness to all His children—His faithfulness that “springs up from the earth and reaches to the heavens.” Think of the verses that are dear to your hearts already regarding His faithfulness: “They shall call His name Immanuel, (which means, God with us).” (Matthew 1:23) “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) “I will not remove from him My steadfast love or be false to My faithfulness.” (Psalm 89:33) The fruit of God’s perfect faithfulness in my daughter’s life glows in her person; for today she is a radiant wife and a joy-filled mother of a fourteen month-old son. She is using her life story as a guide and teacher of young women in her church—helping them to trust our trustworthy God! Store these powerful verses in your mind and their reality in your soul. Rely on their truth, and rest in their promises. He never fails. Great is the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ! For Reflection God’s faithfulness is faultless. Have you seen the marks of His faithfulness to you today? Can you name them and thank Him for them? Are you praying with in the Spirit for God to intervene in your children’s circumstances and development? If married, do you and your spouse pray together for each of them? There is power there! Are you aware of God’s immediate, Immanuel presence with you as He hovers over you to protect and provide? Practice resting in His care.

[But] this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. —Lamentations 3:21-23 Several weeks ago, before most of the United States was sheltering at home due to the coronavirus global pandemic, my 19-year-old daughter and her friend asked, “Is Jesus coming back?” My immediate response was an emphatic, “Yes!” Now, I know what they meant. They were wondering out loud if the “signs of the times” was an indication of Jesus’ immediate return: the coronavirus, the H1N1 flu in the Philippines, and swarms of locusts in Africa in seemingly unprecedented numbers. You have to admit, when you put it together it does sound apocalyptic. As Christians, we believe that Jesus is coming back. But are these “signs” that it’s happening now? I don’t know. No one does. What we know is that Jesus inaugurated the last days by His death, resurrection, and exaltation to the right hand of the Father. We now eagerly await Jesus’ return on the last day to judge the living and the dead. What does this have to do with Lamentations 3:21-23? Well, Judah was facing similar questions about God’s judgment. In 587 BC, King Nebuchadnezzer sieged Jerusalem and exiled what remained of the Southern Kingdom of Israel. Lamentations looks back on what and why that happened. Yahweh is a covenant God. He promised Israel he would bless them if they kept the covenant, but he warned that he would curse them if they broke it (Deuteronomy 27-28). Because of their rebellion, the siege of Jerusalem was God’s promised judgment, but thankfully, it was not God’s final judgment. While the prophets warned of God’s coming judgment, they also promised that all who returned to the Lord would be spared and received back into the people of God. These same prophets also foretold of a day when God would restore the kingdom to Israel through a descendant of David. Why? Because God would always be faithful to His covenant. Every promise he made, he would keep. That was the basis for Judah’s hope (Lamentations 3:21-23). The faithful Jewish remnant rightly lamented the loss of their city, the destruction of their temple, and their slavery in Babylon (Lamentations 1:1-7). They rightly acknowledged their sins (Lamentations 1:8-7-22). They rightly embraced God’s righteous judgment (Lamentations 2-3:17). Additionally, on the basis of God’s character, they rightly cried out to him for mercy (Lamentations 3:18-20). This is what they “called to mind”—the truth of God’s character, His covenant faithfulness (v. 21). Rather than lose hope as they looked around at their circumstances, they trusted that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (v. 22). The word translated “steadfast love” ( chesed ) often refers to God’s covenant faithfulness, His lovingkindness. Despite what their lives may look like in Babylon, these exiles held to the hope that the God who cannot lie would be faithful to His covenant promises. Consequently, while they were presently under judgment, “his mercies would never come to an end” (v. 22). That is, no matter how bad their lives may be, and no matter how long they suffered under God’s judgment, they trusted that God would continually display His mercy toward them—His goodness or love to those who deserve judgment (v. 23). That is why they could declare, “great is your faithfulness” (v. 23). Is this the end? I don’t know. What I do know is Jesus taught us that, rather than trying to figure out why a particular bad thing happens to a specific group of people, we should instead take that opportunity to reflect upon our own sin and repent (Luke 13:1-5). We know that God is already judging the unrighteous around us (Romans 1:18). As we look around us and witness all the chaos, evil, and rebellion, we are right to lament. But, we must also cry out to God for mercy, believing that He is faithful and that He will keep all His promises. Jesus is coming back. And we pray that it will be soon. Until then, we ground our hope in the character of God. His covenant love will never come to an end, and He will continue to display His mercy toward His people. Let us walk by faith in this God and not by the sight of our circumstances. For great is His faithfulness! For Reflection How do you process the difficult circumstances and the suffering you face in this life? Reflecting upon Lamentations, how does it help you process them? Are you afraid of the coming judgment? Why? Where is your hope? How does meditating on the character of God and His covenant faithfulness encourage you during times of trials and suffering and free you to long for Christ’s return?

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." ⁶So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" — H ebrews 13:5-6 Have you ever felt like what you have isn’t enough? Some years ago, 20th Century Fox released The Greatest Showman . The hit soundtrack included the song "Never Enough." Beautifully sung, the song became an international hit. I heard it everywhere. Its words struck the hearts of millions of people: rich people, poor people, famous people, unknown people. Countless people sang the lyrics,  Towers of gold are still too little these hands could hold the world but it'll never be enough, never be enough It's not surprising the words rang so true for so many people because the human heart is sinfully bent toward wanting more, no matter what it already has. It’s never enough. People are motivated to love money for many reasons including fear of having too little. That’s why we need this warning from the writer of Hebrews. Our awesome, ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing God knows our weakness — and He offers us His presence. What more could anyone ask for? The sinful heart cries “never enough.” The heart that is satisfied in Jesus cries even louder, “I’m content with what I have because the Lord has promised never to leave me.”  If you’re fearful of not having enough, remember the God you serve. He is the One who created the Universe with his voice. And because He created it, He owns it all. He’s all powerful — meaning that he has the power to sustain you. He’s all-knowing — meaning that he’s aware of your needs more than you are. And He’s ever present — meaning that He is the only One who can guarantee the promise that “I will never leave you nor forsake you” to millions of Christians around the world. Believer, you have the immanent presence of God and He’ll never leave you. You have the help of our omnipotent God. What more could you ask for? Friend, fear not. When the world cries “never enough,” respond boldly with “The Lord is enough — He’s all that I need.” For Reflection What circumstances tempt you to fear you won't have what you need? When you feel like what you have isn't enough, look to the cross. Jesus already did the hardest thing. " He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? " (Romans 8:32) Ask God to increase your faith in His ability and willingness to provide for your needs. Ryan Robertson  is President of Reaching & Teaching since April 2020. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Missiology program at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ryan and his wife Erin have three children and are members of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, where Ryan serves as an elder.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15 There’s a sneaky lie that can easily slip into a Christian’s mind when we see another person in grievous sin: “at least I’m not that  bad.” You may be particularly susceptible to this thought if you grew up in a Christian home–and praise God that you did! But if you don’t remember a season when you wholeheartedly rebelled, you might sometimes wonder if God saved you from all that much. Even if you came to Christ later in life, you can always find someone seemingly worse than you.  Then there’s Paul. By worldly metrics, Paul is in good shape. He rattles off his pre-Christ credentials (Philippians 3:3-6) and they are impressive, especially compared to his list of all kinds of people who are clearly sinners (1 Timothy 1:9-10). Yet having taken all of this into account he comes to a different conclusion: he says he   is the “chief of sinners.” Though he seemed outwardly to qualify on his own merits, that was only when he was looking at what the world values. Truly, he was formerly a “blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” (1 Timothy 1:13). This verse teaches two truths. First, Christ came to save sinners. He didn’t come to give a little nudge to people who are a smidge off track or a boost to people doing relatively well. Christ bore the full wrath of God because our entire posture was set against Him (Genesis 6:5). We tend to be good at remembering others’ faults while forgetting or explaining away our own. But even a quick, honest look at our hearts reminds us that we, too, have fallen short (Romans 3:23).  Second, each of us needs to remember that we really are the worst. True, objectively, many of us have not done actions as evil as others have. Most of us have not, like Paul, persecuted Christians. Yet from time to time, we need to remember how much God needed to save us from, how deeply our hearts rebelled against Him, and how passionately we ran or would have run after everything but Him.  But we don’t dwell there because focusing on how bad we are won’t earn God’s favor. Instead, our greater awareness of our sin helps us to more greatly appreciate the vast and bottomless mercy God has extended to us through Christ. This is Paul’s point. By magnifying his sin, he magnifies God, the God from whom he received mercy and grace (1 Timothy 1:13-14, 16). In saving a sinner like Paul, God the Son shows His willingness to bear sin on Himself in order that others may see their need and also be saved (1 Timothy 1:16). This is why Paul can audaciously and truly declare himself “faithful,” because Jesus has (1 Timothy 1:12). Oh the grace of God, that the knowledge of the depths of our sin can compel us to greater joy in Him and greater faithfulness in His service! For Reflection When you read about the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), can you relate to the Pharisee? Why or why not? Do you regularly repent to God and others? Why or why not?  What are some of your greatest and specific offenses against God? How can remembering that He has forgiven you for these sins compel you to worship? Greg Palys  is a pastor at College Park Church in Indianapolis, IN, primarily overseeing ministry to children and their families. He and Sarah have five children: Ruth, Ezekiel, James, Eden, and Luke.