The Lord's Compassions

THE LORD’S COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS. Lam 3.22,23.

Sometime ago, my wife and I had the privilege to visit a dear brother and sister from our church. He had been quite unwell off and on for several years. The past few months were very trying for him and his dear wife too because he was in and out of intensive care units of different hospitals with diabetes and a chronic leg ulcer which threatened amputation, kidney failure, heart failure, pneumonia, etc. In addition to all his physical ailments, they were going through serious business problems and losses.

What surprised us greatly was that while they took more than an hour to tell us their sad tale, especially explaining it to me a medical doctor, we never heard a word of complaint about their sufferings. All the while, both the husband and wife were telling of the great compassion and faithfulness of the Lord to them in their times of deep distress.

This made us say to ourselves, “We shouldn’t be complaining after all!” Not that we are chronic complainers! But God knows that every day there are problems and even trials that we have to undergo. If we don’t speak about them among ourselves, there will be no outlet for our pent up feelings! If we do not complain to the Lord and cry out like Jeremiah, we will have no relief!

Remember, it is the Lord who told His disciples, “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat 6.34). We can pray everyday as the Lord taught us, “lead us not into temptation/trials, but deliver us from the evil/one” (Mt 6.13). However, some times of trouble do come because it is part of our ‘fallen life’. The prophet Jeremiah lamented to the Lord about his trials and the distress of his people and they were enough to fill a small book in the Bible – Lamentations! But Jeremiah was not a grumbler without trust in the Lord or confidence in His compassion, faithfulness and mercies, like the children of Israel in the wilderness whom the Lord hated in His anger.

I love that wonderful hymn inspired by today’s verse and it is one of the first hymns I learned to play on the piano. I still play it regularly to remind me of the Lord’s faithfulness, love and mercy, to build up my faith to withstand trials and sorrows.

Praise God with me:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As Thou hast been Thou for ever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! Amen