So we see in those first 21 verses
the spiritual side of the life of Jeremiah and clearly from
that he enjoyed much difficulty and hardship but yet as we carry
on and read we find that his hope was in God. And verse 22
and 23 tell us that. Verse 22, it is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail
not. They are new every morning. Great
is thy faithfulness. So we have a wonderful testimony
here of God's servant Jeremiah. and it's as if he opens his heart
and writes exactly how he felt and gives us the great list of
those difficult times and afflictions that he walked through and yet
he comes and tells us it is of the Lord's mercies that we are
not consumed because his compassions fail not and that of course is
true of us. And as we should recognise it,
it is of the Lord's mercies that you and I are not consumed. We cannot claim that we're worthy
of any favour, of any blessings. And yet God is very gracious
and very compassionate and very merciful. And to think it is
of the Lord's mercies that indeed we are not consumed because his
compassions fail not. It's wonderful, isn't it, to
think of compassions. Our God is compassionate. We
might think, what does that really mean? Well, it really means he
has an understanding and he has love toward us. He empathises
with our situation, tenderness and sympathy. You see how gracious
God is. How kind he is. And this is the
God that you and I, by his grace, deal with. And so it's of his
mercy. Mercy and compassion are very
similar words, really. But yet how wonderful it is that
God is merciful and that he is compassionate toward us. and
we should be so thankful for it the psalmist tells us in Psalm
78 it tells us these words which I just read in Psalm 78 and verse
38 tells us but He, this is God, being full of compassion forgave
their iniquities and destroyed them not Yea, many a time turned
he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were
but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. Well, how good it is to read
such words like that, and to recognise And of course, this
is the Psalm of Asaph. He was referring to Israel of
old, how they'd walked contrary to God, and yet God was full
of compassion. Full of compassion. It's good,
isn't it, to just dwell on that. Not just compassion. He was full
of compassion. And we have a God who we know
does not change, and therefore He was full of compassion. in
Asaph's day and he's still full of compassion today and what
a great blessing that is for you and me to think that this
God full of compassion forgave Israel's iniquities and forgives
our iniquities and he says and destroyed them not just like
us we haven't been destroyed we haven't been cut off we're
still here and yet if we're honest and look into our lives and our
hearts, we'll see how gracious God has been to us. And as Esau
says, many a time turned his anger away and did not stir up
his wrath. And then we see his compassion
set forth so beautifully, for he remembered that they were
but flesh. And that's what we are. sinful
flesh. And yet how wonderful to realise
that our kind and gracious God has compassion upon us. He remembered
that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh
not again. Well what a mercy it is then.
It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his
compassions fail not and this word consumed really means to
be destroyed or to be demolished and because of our sins we deserve
to be taken and demolished really and destroyed and yet it's because
of his compassion and because of his mercy we are not so how
thankful we should be it is of the Lord's mercies that we are
not consumed because his compassions fail not and then he goes on
and says they are new every morning just think of that and it's good
isn't it because you and I sin every day and we need God's mercy. He needs God's compassion every
day. And it doesn't go out of date,
his love and favour. No, they are new every morning. What a kind and gracious God
we have. And then he says, great is thy
faithfulness. And again, if we were to analyse
our own lives, your life and my life, Are we faithful to our
God? Do we do His will? Do we keep
His laws? Do we follow His gracious and
wonderful example? Well, great is thy faithfulness. Yes, He doesn't deal with us
as our sins deserve and what a wonderful favour and what a
wonderful Mercy it is. And, you know, we can look at
many verses, really, which encourage us in these things, but both
Nehemiah and Ezra bring before us some wonderful words of encouragement. And in Ezra, the ninth chapter,
in verse 13, this is what we read. where Ezra says, And after
all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great
trespass, seeing that thou, our God, hast punished us less than
our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as
this, spells it out doesn't it very clearly in Ezra's day and
we know of course how gracious God was to Israel he brought
them back from Babylon to Jerusalem and was with them there and enabled
them to rebuild the walls and to rebuild the was of His mercy,
of His goodness, especially when we consider they turned their
back upon Him so often and so many times. And then Nehemiah,
in his book, he also tells us these words, in verse 33 of chapter
9, Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for
thou hast done right, But we have done wickedly. How true
that is. Nehemiah was speaking to Israel,
was telling them great truths. And my friends, those truths
don't get old. They're true today. How be it? Thou art just in all that is
brought upon us. We can't complain because of
God's goodness and mercy, for thou hast done right. But we
have done wickedly. How true that is. And so we have
a faithful and gracious God. So this evening, just to ponder The position of Jeremiah, as
he outlined in those first 21 verses, tells us about his position,
about how he felt and what he said, and how far off he felt. And we see something of the little,
a little of the innermost feelings of his heart. And yet he's able
to come down and thank and praise his God. And that's the great
blessing of grace, isn't it? when you and I can come here,
and notwithstanding all the difficulties of life, to lay them aside and
be able to come and tell, as Jeremiah did, this, I recall
to my mind, therefore have I hope, and it's a good hope. It is of
the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions
fail not. They are new every morning. Great
is thy faithfulness. And to think, sinners as we are,
we have a great and glorious Saviour who has compassion upon
us, so faithful, so good, so kind, that He was willing to
lay down His life so that we might receive that great and
glorious gift eternal life. Surely he is worthy of all praise
and all adoration and surely we should come before our God
and acknowledge and say what a Savior. Well may God encourage
us and strengthen us that we have such wonderful words in
the Word of God