Remember

(21) But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
(22) The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
(23) they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV

This is a New Year. It’s time to wrap ourselves in God’s goodness. It’s time for each of us to move away from any lamenting and any sadness from last year. It’s time for us to REMEMBER…God.

As a quick overview, Jeremiah, most likely the author of Lamentations, knew by experience some tough times. In fact, he laments about it and expresses the affliction he’s seen. He saw it only from his perspective, yet even as he reflects on affliction and troubles, he is drawn back to the Lord, to His steadfast love even during tragedy.

Here is where we start 2021—perhaps still assimilating tragedy of last year. Still dealing with the aftermath of everything we’ve gone through in 2020. Still learning to look for the silver lining in perhaps a still cloudy horizon.

What does Jeremiah do? He chooses to ‘call to mind’, that is, REMEMBER God. He doesn’t focus on the past. He reminds himself he has HOPE in God. He reminds himself of God’s steadfast love for him, and of God’s never-ending mercies. He wraps it all up by remembering God’s faithfulness to him personally and to His people.

The more we remember these important aspects, the more we call them to mind each day, the more we will be confident of God’s great love for us. We won’t see Him as an accuser. We won’t see Him as a mean, horrible God ready to do us in. We won’t see Him the way the world sees Him.

We WILL see Him full of love, full of compassion, full of forgiveness, and full of mercy each and every day. Change your perspective, see God’s love for you today/this year, and put this into practice because today is going to be a great day, and there is a great year ahead!