MCB CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- TEXT
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
In order for our brains to comprehend the massive amounts of data and stimuli we encounter on a daily basis, we place things into convenient categories. Two such categories are the expected and then the things that are unexpected. When we flip a light switch, turn on the car, or smile and say hello, there are responses that we expect to occur. They are so expected that we often do not think about the response, and thus free our brains up to process other information, like the unexpected. In John 16:33, Jesus would tell his disciples that in this world there would be many troubles, in other words troubles should be an expected part of life. Yet, the delayed meeting, the flat tire, and a child’s meltdown are often sources of great frustration and annoyance because they are unexpected. While Jesus made clear that there would be troubles in this life, he balanced it with the encouragement to his disciples to take heart, for he has overcome the world.
In the Old Testament the writer of Lamentations makes a bold statement at the central part of the book. After lamenting the exile of the Jewish people to Babylon and the destruction of the Temple, he makes the statement that the Lord’s compassions never fail, that his mercy is new every morning. In the midst of the devastation and destruction, the unexpected and troublesome events of exile, the writer encourages the people that they can expect with all certainty that the Lord has not abandoned them because of his great faithfulness. This remains true still today, the Lord’s mercies are new every morning, and therefore we should expect to see them. The amazing part is that these mercies show up in the most unexpected of ways. When a friend calls to check on you, the beauty of a sunrise, or the quiet peaceful moment in a crazy day are all evidence of God’s presence and his expected mercy, all of which are rooted in his faithfulness.
Today take heart for indeed Jesus has overcome this world, and I pray that you may see it in the most unexpected of ways.
The Chaplain’s Corner covers everything faith related. Facts not attributed are purely the opinion of the writer.