Hope

If I'm totally honest, I have found the last few weeks hard work (hence lack of blogging!). We have all been suffering with a variety of colds, coughs, and vomiting bugs, and the daily routine of cooking, cleaning, toddler groups (or not, as we've been ill), swings, shopping, washing and so on, has felt less of a daily routine, and more of a daily drudge.

Yesterday morning after our plans to go as a family to a Good Friday service had been scuppered by our youngest coming down with a vomiting bug on Thursday night  I was at my wits end and was taking my frustrations out on God because I felt like He wasn't listening to our prayers, and that He didn't care about me or my needs.

It was at that point that hubby showed me, through my tears, the verses that he had just read in his Morning Prayer Book.

A Song of Lamentation

1 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? •
Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,

2 Which was brought upon me, •
which the Lord inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger.

3 For these things I weep;
my eyes flow with tears; •
for a comforter is far from me,
one to revive my courage.

4 Remember my affliction and my bitterness, •
the wormwood and the gall!

5 But this I call to mind, •
and therefore I have hope:

6 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, •
his mercies never come to an end;

7 They are new every morning; •
great is your faithfulness.

8 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, •
‘therefore I will hope in him.’

9 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, •
to the soul that seeks him.

10 It is good that we should wait quietly •
for the salvation of the Lord.

11 For the Lord will not reject for ever; •
though he causes grief, he will have compassion,

12 According to the abundance of his steadfast love; •
for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.

Lamentations 1.12, 16a,b; 3.19, 21-26, 31-33

As I read these verses, I truly felt as if God had written them for me to see. He knew that I needed to be reminded of His presence and His faithfulness. 

And what amazing verses to be reminded of today, Easter Saturday, as we wait in hope for tomorrow; as we remind ourselves of Jesus followers and what they must have been feeling on that first Easter Saturday. Hope had been lost and they, as far as they knew, had been left alone to their sorrow. 

But that was not the end of the story. There is in fact, no end to the story: "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end." As we celebrate Easter tomorrow I pray that we may remember this truth, through all things.