What an amazing portion for us to consider! It is believed this book was written by Jeremiah, the prophet. The time of the writing was during the time of Israel’s captivity in Babylon. The beginning of the book shows the dreadful state, “How lonely sits the city that once had many people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer! She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. Judah has gone into exile out of affliction and harsh servitude; she lives among the nations, but she has not found a resting place; all those who pursued her have overtaken her in the midst of distress. (Jeremiah 1:1-3 – NASB).

So, this is a book of lamentations expressing grief, sorrow, and weeping. Jeremiah goes on to write in Lamentations 2:11, “Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.” In chapter three, Jeremiah continues to lament the condition of the Lord’s people. He remarks how he had been smitten by the rod of God’s wrath, a man that hath seen affliction. There are deeply personal remarks in this chapter as the prophet speaks of his many afflictions and sorrows. I cannot go through all of this chapter because of time’s sake, but I greatly encourage our readers to look carefully at this chapter. Then in verse 21, he says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.” He considers the trustworthy God whom he knew and realized that it is only the grace of God that allowed him to continue day by day.

Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Jeremiah here is speaking as the representative of all those who suffer. It is so true that man’s whole life is sustained by the undeserved mercy of the Lord. To be consumed refers to one who perishes. It is only by God’s mercy that we, who are undeserving sinners, are saved from perishing. Does this not remind you of the words of the Lord Jesus in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have everlasting life.”

Jeremiah recognizes himself and his sinfulness in a proper point of view. He understands that God, instead of dealing with him in judgment, has dealt with him in mercy, and though the afflictions were great, yet it was still far less than what his sin deserved. Indeed, if any sinner is kept out of hell, it is because God’s mercy NEVER FAILS. Our God never changes, and that gives assurance that His mercy towards us will never be exhausted. In Malachi 3:6 we learn, “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

Fellow believer, let us rejoice in the truth that God’s mercies are new every morning. It is a little odd that in the midst of all these miserable lamentations, Jeremiah speaks of the inexhaustible wealth of God’s forgiveness…God’s mercy…God’s compassion. God’s compassions are new and fresh every single day. When we wake in the mornings, we can begin to thank the Lord, knowing that we are surrounded with brand new mercies from God. Mercies which will continue and follow us throughout each day.

Let’s rejoice in the faithfulness of our loving savior. Faithful to His promises, we know He will never change and therefore we will never perish. Realizing that every day is a day of God’s fresh mercies, let our hearts join in with the psalmist who said, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) (CC) (730.2)