Monday, January 15, 2018

Every Morning
By Peggy Kleckner

“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.”


This verse is taken from the book of Lamentations. To lament is to “feel or express deep sorrow (for); mourn; mourning some loss or death” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). So a whole book of mourning or wailing, crying out in grief over loss or death. If you read that description on a book jacket cover, would you want to read it?  Probably not, that is of course, unless that was the place you found yourself. There are times in our lives that we go looking for the words or the pictures that express where we are. Sometimes that is a place of deep sorrow, or a place of deep grieving over our own sins or the sins of others. We want to stay in our “happy place,” but life includes sadness and joy, darkness and light. So too this book, in the midst of deep grieving and real pain, this diamond of hope is nestled.

To pretend that life is “fine” and that we experience no pain is to deny the necessity of a Savior. To tell one another to try harder - - to get over it or to move on without mourning - - is to deny the pain and to deny the true work of the cross: leading us to repentance. I have spent a long time painting over my pain, coloring my hurt, drawing pictures on top of my wounds, but eventually they still bleed through and I find myself having to put all of my efforts into whitewashing and denying again and again and again. I don’t believe that is the life of freedom and abundance that Christ died for.

This verse lies after much wailing of true pain and admission of sin. Amazing how difficult seasons bring the truth to the surface. Pain seldom lets us hold in the truth that is looking to be expressed. Pain and yes, actual anger, push truth to the surface like a volcano hurls out both lava and rocks.

We cannot hide from God, but oh we can hide truth from ourselves for quite some time. Let your pain and deep anguish lead you to the truth. You are not God. You are not perfect, nor can you be. You do need a Savior and God has given us only one, Jesus Christ.

We are not consumed and His compassions never fail, because He sent Jesus.

Stop whitewashing; rather, repent and be forgiven. Rest in the One who has willingly and compassionately paid the price for you.


GOING DEEPER:
1.  What guilt are you trying to run from? Will you turn around and face the only true judge?
2.  What unanswered question nags at or continues to threaten your faith? Will you take it to the throne room, bringing it out in full view so that He can speak to you about it?

FURTHER READING:


Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.