Lamentations
3:22–33—In the midst of a
lament over the fall of Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah extols the mercy of the
Lord: His steadfast love never ceases…the Lord is good to those who wait for
Him. When the Lord’s chastisement has brought about its intended results, he
will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. This
gives comfort to us, too: when we repent of our sins, the Lord is quick to
bestow forgiveness upon us.
God’s love never fails even
though we experience adversity. The background of this week’s Old Testament
lesson is the affliction of God’s people, the captivity and destruction of
Jerusalem in 586 BC
The author is believed to
be Jeremiah. Chapter 3 consists of an acrostic poem. The lesson consist of part
one and two of the poem. It begins with thanksgiving which is the basis for
hope, for God is love and mercy. Then the lesson urges patience in a time of
trouble. The passage concludes with an exhortation to accept suffering because
God does not punish but has compassion. It is a call for patience and hope in
times of adversity because God is merciful and compassionate.
“God loves you” has become
a popular slogan. What evidence is there for this claim? How could you prove
it? In this week’s Gospel (Mark 5:21-24a; 35-43) Jesus had compassion for
Jairus’ daughter who died. To relieve the father’s grief, Jesus raised the girl
from the dead. The Old Testament lesson
(Lamentations 3:22-33) gives us a picture of disaster and destruction. Yet, God
has compassion for all who have lost everything. Paul in this week’s epistle (2
Corinthians 8:1-9; 13-14) says that God’s love can be seen in the generosity of
the poor who give liberally to those who were poorer. Because the LORD is love,
mercy and compassion, believers will show mercy to their fellow human beings.[2]
[1] Luther’s Seal copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] A Prayer for one who is sick, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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