May 14

Step 5: We admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

May 14

Recommended Reading Psalm 31 and Mark 3

Last night one of our sons asked me why Lamentations was in the bible. Since he’s the third born, I had the good sense to realize that he probably wasn’t expecting an answer so much as he was interested in a dialogue, so I said, “Why do you think it’s there?”

“Well, since I doubt that God’s goal was to encourage whining, I wonder if it has something to do with this verse, Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

“Funny that you came to that verse. That is exactly the same verse I was looking at earlier in the week. I was feeling kind of whiney, and decided to hang with someone who could truly understand me – so I read Lamentations. That’s the verse I underlined!”

Notice that I didn’t answer his question, and his prompt exit seemed to indicate that he didn’t notice my non-response. I think the kid just needed to confess to me what he had just re-discovered and have someone who could join him in this reminder.

I think that because of the circumstances surrounding the evening. We had returned home from a tough lacrosse loss. He got hit so hard his jaw wouldn’t work right, and he had a loose tooth (that’s with a helmet on); his arm was swollen at the elbow to about the size of Rhode Island. He was so sore and tired that he wasn’t going to tackle his dreaded math homework until the wee hours of the morning. I suspect God knew my boy needed to be reminded that the Lord’s love never fails (even when the ref doesn’t call a penalty on the guy who decked him), the Lord’s mercies never cease (even when you’re tired and still have math to do), the Lord’s mercies begin afresh each morning – tomorrow will be another day.

Thought for today: I hope you can recall these truths too as you approach Him with your confessions. If you’re hesitant to approach God, notice what you’re thinking about God. Maybe you need to start out by confessing your forgetfulness of His character.

Thought for tomorrow: Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:21-22 NLT

May 14
Teresa McBean