HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning..."
Lamentations 5:15

Wait a minute, wait a minute, now just hold on here. This is supposed to be an uplifting devotional time, isn't it? Who in their right mind uses a verse from Lamentations to start off a ladies devotion? (I never said I was in my right mind!)

My day started with a downer, and basically went downhill from there...and my "scheduled" devotional reading? It was from the book of Lamentations. Oh goody. A book written by Jeremiah about weeping, sadness...lamenting. Did God really want me to read Lamentations today?

As I read (with a less than a cheery attitude about it), I read of hope and of God's goodness, mixed in with lamenting. In chapter three, I read, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." He is divinely compassionate. He is without failure. Ok, that isn't depressing. It's good to know on a day that started off dismal, God loves me and doesn't fail. That felt nourishing.

Reading on, I found "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore I will hope in Him." Certain things in my life may appear hopeless, but I always have security in Him. Verses twenty-five and twenty-six say, "The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." Ok - the word wait isn't my favorite...no matter how you spell it (wait or weight!). I take assurance, however, in knowing God's Word tells me God is good to those who wait and seek. Hearing Jeremiah say in verse fifty-seven, "Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou sadist, 'Fear Not.'" soothed me. I needed to call on the Lord. He is there for me, drawing near to me as I call out to Him.

On those days when sadness feels overwhelming or when losses seem to face me at every turn, I can lament...but not without hope. Psalm 30:11 tells how the Lord helps us turn mourning into dancing. Psalm 31: 24 says, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."

Even reading Lamentations turned out to be just what I needed on a day I was sure reading that book was not what I needed. Thank You, Lord, for knowing and meeting my needs.

Written by
Melody Foster