Lamentations 3:22–23 Malachi, Isaiah and Jeremiah reveal what they’ve heard from God. A message that doesn’t change with time. Malachi speaks to Israel’s neglect and lack of respect toward God. 400 years of silence from the Lord followed this prophetic word, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed”. And Isaiah petitions the Lord on behalf of Israel for His grace, for His salvation in their time of trouble. It’s Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet, that brings it all together to reveal God‘s compassion, His mercy and grace, His love and forgiveness. In the time of the Judges, Israel experienced… cycles. Repeated seasons of sin, judgment, oppression, repentance, deliverance and returning to a right relationship with God…only to begin again. Each time, God‘s love, His compassion and mercy didn’t fail Israel. He saw their sin, allowed the consequences of judgment, He heard their cries for mercy and restored them. God doesn’t change, we do. God doesn’t move…we might. If we’ve fallen into a pit, a deep place of darkness, we have but to choose to roll over and look up, so we can see the Light. Our face muddy, our clothes as filthy rags…He sees us, He hears us…He picks us up. He washes us clean and we exchange our filthy rags for His white linens. We learn His mercies are new…every day, we’re grateful that His Faithfulness is abundant, and when we press in…hard, He’s steadfast, sturdy, and strong, He doesn’t…hasn’t moved. Perhaps there isn’t a day that goes by when we acknowledge His faithfulness, when we realize what abundance truly means, that His love and compassion never fail. The view from the bottom of the pit, if we’re looking up, is amazing and wonderful as He Who is Faithful reaches for us. Thank you, Lord, that You never leave us or forsake us, that You don’t consume us in our sin, but rather do what it takes to grow us in righteousness.
