Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is thy faithfulness.
This is a mighty strange thing to read in the midst of a lamentation, particularly a lamentation from a prophet who had it on divine authority from God that the destruction of Jerusalem he was lamenting had been inflicted by the Almighty himself. Yet there it is: in the midst of a wrenching, gasping scream of grief over the death of thousands of his countrymen and the destruction of the city and Temple so many had thought invulnerable, Jeremiah makes a sharp and unexpected turn, as prophets do. Instead of saying, "All the promises have failed to come true. The whole thing is a lie! There is no God!" Jeremiah suddenly begins to praise God for his mercy in the serene assurance that out of all this horror, wonders will come. It's a salutary thing to remember in a time of war and scandal. Resurrection power works best in graveyards.
