But This I Call to Mind
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
– Lamentations 3:21–23 (ESV)
Beloved? What occupies your mind, just now?
Is it, perhaps, the cares of this world? Is it filled with self-loathing, or great aspirations, or self-pity, or anxiousness, or doubt, or any such thing? Stop.
Rather, beloved (said ever so gently), call this to mind: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Read that again, please. And yet again for a third time. Let it make its way into your mind and heart. Let it penetrate your inward being. There.
Now, what does it say?
It says: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
What does it mean?
It means we have One who not only loves us steadily, faithfully, patiently; but this great love of which our hearts are captivated, enraptured, enthralled; this great love will never cease to exist! It will go on and on and on. It will endure forever. It will never run dry. It will never be exhausted. It is here now. It was here before, and it will always be.
And, if that’s not enough to capture our swooning hearts, there’s more, beloved! His mercies, those too, will never, come to an end! And so, even when we, as pathetic and lame as we are, fail our Beloved King; His mercies, even, those also! will never be drained completely!
Not even we, with our relentless mishaps, can squelch our Lord’s, steadfast love. For His mercies, they are new, every. single. morning. Aye, this morning, they are new. Just like they were new yesterday morning. And, oh…by the way, they’ll be new again tomorrow morning as well. And if ye happen to live to see the light of the morning thereafter, guess what? They’ll be new again that morning too.
O, beloved! Great is His faithfulness!
And so, we have hope, do we not? We have real, lasting, hope, beloved. Knowing that we are loved, knowing that this steadfast love will never cease, knowing that even our rebellious hearts cannot stifle this great love…we are secure. We are safe. We can rest. Whatever circumstances may be, let them come. Let them have their way with us. We do not fret. Why should we? The most valuable thing we can conceive of is everlasting!
O, my soul! What infinite, overflowing joy!!!
May all praise, and honor, and glory, be His, now and forevermore. Go now, and proclaim this throughout the whole world! Speak, pray, and live within the realities of this incredible truth!
Finally, beloved? If you’re ever feeling discouraged, or downcast, or tempted to despair; call this to mind: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.