This I call to mind

SCRIPTURE
Lamentations 3:21-23 and vs 40
21-23 "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.
40 "Let us examine our ways and test them and let us return to the Lord."


OBSERVATION
Lamentations is full of lamentations! The writer talks about being in darkness, despair, a broken body, bitterness, no escape, being dragged and mangled, left without help, a pierced heart, being a laughingstock, deprived of peace and the list goes on. All of these word pictures evoke a whirlwind of emotions that all of us can relate to on some level. but in verse 21 "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope." and here the writer calls to mind God's great love, that His compassions never fail and even more that they are new every morning! But in verse 40 we are called to do something and here it is "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord."

APPLICATION
God doesn't change! He is forever compassionate, He is faithful! and everday He is ready to face a new day with us. He is "good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;" But we have to examine ourselves, test our motives, heart, actions, choices and then we have to "return to the Lord." correct our course!

PRAYER
Lord, I have great hope whenever I think on who you are! Please put your light on my life when we examine me and test my ways and help me always to be easy and quick to return to you and your ways when I'm off, which is more often than I'd like to admit.