Well, we'll leave the reading
there this evening. And I often think it's very wonderful
that God has given us such an account. Because naturally, as
we might trace out the experience of Jeremiah in these verses really,
down to verse 21, we'll think what a hard and difficult lot
he had. to endure and to face. And we might think as we read
an account like this that he virtually lost his hope, he really
hardly had hope at all. And he points out the difficulty
of his path. Well, the Lord has recorded these
details for his church and we should be thankful to realise
that as we may come into similar situations and we may feel in
measure exactly like Jeremiah was able to put down in print
for us today and to realise that our God is the same, he hasn't
changed, he brings us into these situations to really make us
appreciate the great blessings of God when he turns our captivity
which he did here in Jeremiah's case. And as we come down to
the 22nd verse, we read, it is the Lord's mercies that we are
not consumed because his compassions fail not. And if we look into
our hearts and see the sin and evil which exists there, we have
to agree that it is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. And why is it? It's because his
compassions fail not. And then he goes on, they are
new. Every morning great is thy faithfulness. So we have two
very encouraging verses really for us to ponder and to think
upon to realize the great mercy Almighty God. It is of course
not only his mercy but also his compassion and no doubt we have
a good understanding what God's mercy is but to think of his
compassion it's really a comprehensive word and it really gives us the
understanding of God, his love, his empathy toward us and his
tenderness and his sympathy. All these situations are encompassed
in this word of compassion. And so what a great blessing
it is to realise it's because of these great favours that we're
not consumed and God doesn't leave us to despair. And so we should be very thankful
that there is a record like this having described his difficult
position and how he felt and how he described it. and how
we read that together and no doubt we come into similar paths
in our life as we journey on through life and it is really
to show us plainly that this is not our rest, this is not
our home on this earth, but we are travelling, travelling towards
that eternal habitation and that wonderful favour to be then forever
with the Lord. And of course it wasn't the only
person that had this experience, David himself, and Asaph also
tell us and we read in the 78th Psalm just a couple of verses
about the greatness of God and we're told, but he being full
of compassion and I'm sure when God brings us into this situation
and comes and remembers us, we realize His great compassion. But He, being full of compassion,
forgave their iniquity. Sometimes our sins stand out. They weigh us down with a great
weight. We're not able to lift ourselves
up. But here God knows about us. He knows why. He's dealt with
us like this and it is to make us realise that He is a God full
of compassion who does forgive and destroyed them not. Yea,
many a time turned His anger away and did not stir up all
His wrath for He remembered that they were but flesh. We might
say We are but flesh, and we're sinful flesh, that they were
but flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh not again. Well, how wonderful then to realize
that it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Yes,
consumed means to be destroyed or demolished. and if we're honest
with ourselves we deserve to be destroyed but how wonderful
it is that we're not consumed we're not destroyed because God's
compassions fail not and the prophet goes on to tell us to
encourage us and these blessings are not a one-off example he
says they are new every morning Every day, my friends, God's
compassion, what a wonderful favour it is, and God's mercy
toward us, and what a favour it is when we look at ourselves
and realise how undeserving we are, and yet God in his great
love toward us, deals with us as sons and daughters, of the
Most High God and therefore to realise that these blessings
are new every morning. They don't get out of date. No, they're new and therefore
we're able to say, great is thy faithfulness. You see, God is
faithful. He is dependable. He doesn't
speak and his word doesn't come into effect. But He brings us
to that position to make us willing to wait for His appearing. To cast ourselves down at His
feet and to pray indeed that He will be gracious to us and
bless us. You may remember of course that
Israel went into captivity because of their sins. There they were
all those many years in Babylon. until the Lord brought them up
and brought them out and then sent his servants Ezra and Nehemiah
to preach to them and they were able to bless God for them to
praise God for them and in Ezra we read this and after all that
has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass
you see he didn't belittle the condition seeing that our God
has punished us less than our iniquities deserve. That's wonderful,
isn't it? Compassion of God. And has given
us such deliverance as this. He brought them back. Back to
Jerusalem. He was so kind and gracious.
They never deserved it. But what a gracious and merciful
God we have. And bless God, he's the same
yesterday, and today, and forever. And then Nehemiah tells us, howbeit
thou art just in all that is brought upon us. You see, we
won't complain. We don't think we don't deserve
it. We recognize God brings these things upon us. For thou hast
done right, but we have done wickedly. Well, when before God
we understand the situation, how encouraging it is and what
a blessing it is to read words like this and to understand what
poor Jeremiah had to pass through all those difficulties in those
first 21st verses, but then to come with this great statement,
this good news, it is of the Lord's mercies, that we are not
consumed because his compassions fail not, that are new every
morning, great is thy faithfulness. And when we think of God's mercies,
what's he done? He sent his only beloved Son
into the world, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish,
but have eternal life. And to think that God himself
bore our punishment, that which we deserved, the Lord took it
upon himself and bore the punishment instead. Well, if you and I are
blessed with a recognition of such goodness and mercy, it'll
be a time of benefit and a time of profit, a time of looking
back to realise how kind and gracious and good God is, in
not dealing with us as our sins deserve. And we would echo the
words, 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. Let's now join together and sing
our second hymn, which is hymn 573. 573, it's one of William Gadsby's
hymns, and it's titled, The One Thing Needful. Jesus is the one
thing needful. I, without him, perish must. Gracious Spirit, make me heedful. Help me in his name to trust
and with pleasure in him as my portion boasts. Hymn number 573. of love.