Bible League: Living His Word The steadfast love of the LORD's never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."— Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV As one surveys the landscape of life and all its troubles, sufferings, and challenges, we know there is always hope for the believer—"the LORD is my portion." The Lord is always the source of hope. In our passage, describing the Lord as "my portion" may be a reference to a time past in Canaan when the land was portioned out among the different tribes. It was there that Aaron and the priestly tribe of the Levites were given no land, but instead, the Lord said, "I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel" (Numbers 18:20). It is a picture of a special and personal relationship with God since the priests were set apart in service to Him. It is the same kind of relationship with God that inspired the Psalmist to proclaim through a crisis that "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:26)! A personal relationship with God, made possible by the redemption that comes through Christ, is the foundation of faith and the essence of hope. Such divine hope exists by knowing the true character of God. Our passage comes from a time past, but faith brings it into an experience with God that can be had in the present. God's character—yesterday, today, and forever—is that of steadfast love, promising the faithful His constant presence and His unchanging love. God's mercies show His compassion toward His people which never ends. "Because of our God's merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79). And He is faithful. It is God's faithfulness in which we can rest with hope; it is a faithfulness that never fails. When Moses received the Ten Commandments the Lord spoke to him saying, "The Lord, the Lord God, is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth" (Exodus 34:6). Love, mercy, and faithfulness are characteristics of God that are available and new every morning. No matter your sins of yesterday, the trouble, the suffering, the challenges today, God is there for us each and every day. Sometimes it is a blessed do-over that comes with a new day. Other days one is given a fresh anointing, power, strength, and courage to get through something hard. And for those who believe, each day is an opportunity to walk in a fresh, personal, loving relationship with God. He is all we need, and He is our portion forever fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Christ is the aroma and assurance of God's steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness. His death and resurrection took the relationship with God from the past into the present, where He is with you every day. By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 37, 38 Isaiah 37 -- Hezekiah Mourns; Isaiah foretells Jerusalem's Deliverance; Hezekiah Prays and God Fulfills NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 38 -- Hezekiah's Illness and Healing NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Philippians 3 Philippians 3 -- Pressing on toward the Mark NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”Insight Our attitude when we give is more important than the amount we give. Challenge We don't have to be embarrassed if we can give only a small gift. God is concerned about how we give from the resources we have. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Numbers 11:11 Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts his servants to glorify himself, for he is greatly glorified in the graces of his people, which are his own handiwork. When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope," the Lord is honored by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which his vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified? There are many other comfortable answers to the question with which we opened our brief meditation, let us muse upon it all day long. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 25:9 He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Ecclesiastes 9:11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Psalm 123:1,2 A Song of Ascents. To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! • Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us. Psalm 143:8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. 2 Chronicles 20:12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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