When
American country singer George Jones died at the age of 81, his fans remembered
his remarkable voice and his hard life and personal struggles. While many of
his songs reflected his own despair and longing, it was the way he sang them
that touched people deeply. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot said,
“His voice was made for conveying heartbreak.”
The book
of Lamentations records Jeremiah’s anguish over the nation of Judah’s stubborn
refusal to follow God. Often called “the weeping prophet,” he witnessed the
destruction of Jerusalem and saw his people carried into captivity. He wandered
the streets of the city, overwhelmed by grief (Lam. 1:1-5).
Yet, in
Jeremiah’s darkest hour, he said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have
hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions
fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (3:21-23).
Whether we suffer for our own choices or from those of others, despair may threaten to overwhelm us. When all seems lost, we can cling to the Lord’s faithfulness. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul. ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” (v.24).
The anchor of God’s faithfulness holds firm in the strongest storms. (RBC)
