OUR DAILY BREAD : DISASTER DIARIES

[cimi]

November 11
Monday


DISASTER
DIARIES

READ:
Lamentations 3:19-33
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His compassions fail
not. They are new
every morning; great
is Your faithfulness.
__Lamentations 3:22-23
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Yves Congar was just 10 years old when World War I began and the French town where he lived was invaded by the German army. His mother encouraged him to keep a diary, and what resulted was a lucid description of a military occupation, complete with written narrative and colored sketches. His diary recorded a disaster from a child's perspective. what he witnessed had such a profound effect on him that he felt called to bring others the hope of christ.

Centuries earlier the prophet Jeremiah was an eyewitness to the invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchandnezzar. He wrote down his observations in his "diary"__the book of Lamentations. Despite these distressing times, the prophet found hope in the heart of God. He wrote: "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (3:22-23).

At various times, we may experience or witness disasters that feel like hostile forces entering our lives. But these times of trouble do not last forever. and, lke Jeremiah, our most sustaining hope is to reflect upon the faithfulness and provision of our heavenly Father. The Lord's compassions are new every morning, and His faithfulness is great! __Dennis Fisher

````````````Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!`````````````
```````````````````Morning by morning new mercies I see;`````````````````
`````````````````All I have needed Thy hand hath provided__```````````````
````````````Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! __Chisholm````````````
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The best reason for hope is God's faithfulness.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Lamentations 319-33******************

19 Remember my affliction
and roaming, the
wormwood and the gall,

20 M ysoul still remembers
and sinks within me. 21 This
I recall to my mind,
therefore I have hope.

22 Through the LORD's
mercies we are not
consumed, because His
compassions fail not.

23 They are new every
morning; great is Your
faithfulness. 24 "The LORD
is my portion," says my
soul, "Therfore I hope in
Him!"

25 The LORD is good to
those who wait for Him, to
the soul who seeks Him.

26 It is good that one should
hope and wait quietly for
the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man to
bear the yoke in his youth.

28 Let him sit alone and
keep silent, becasue God
has laid it on him; 29 let him
put his mouth in the dust__
there may yet be hope.

30 Let him give his cheek to
the one who strikes him,
and be full of reproach.

31 For the Lord will not
cast off forever. 32 Though
He causes grief, yet He will
show compassion according
to the multitude of His
mercies. 33 For He does not
afflict willingly, nor grieve
the children of men.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Verse 21 of Lamentations 3 is the major connector between
what precedes and what follows. The author has spent 20 verses
lamenting his lot in life. However, despite his circumstances, he
remembers and therefore has hope. What does he remember that
gives him hope? God's mercy, compassion, and faithfulness (vv.22-
23). Remembering these characteristics of God can bring hope
even in the most difficult circumstances because we know He does
not change (Heb. 13:8; James 1:17).