“My mom being over ninety years old, and still going strong thru her difficult circumstances, and by those I mean, she uses a walker, has diabetes, and still doesn’t let that weigh her down. She has a memory in that me and my brother play the Psalms for her and she memorizes them after Three times listening to them. She tells stories from her youth and throughout her lifetime, and I’m amazed of what she remembers. The other thing is that her love for each of her kids, Ten of us, is steadfast and constant, regardless of what we’ve said or done in our past. I am sure that she remembers everything we’ve done, but never brings it up to us. She may not agree with all of our ways and beliefs, but her love never changes and her prayers are always filled for each of her children.
Lamentations Three, written by Jeremiah, references or foretells of Jesus on the cross, and prophesied the things He will endure and have happen. The beauty of this chapter reminds us,
“Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The STEADFAST LOVE of the Lord NEVER CEASES; HIS MERCIES NEVER come to an end; they are NEW WVERY MORNING; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will HOPE IN HIM."” (ESV)
My mom always tells me that God knows her afflictions and still her faith never wavers. I know God has known my wanderings, even when I have willfully wandered from Him, and still His mercies have been renewed every morning. This isn’t a license to keep sinning or to keep wandering in the mire of our selfish pride, but daily we should be putting our hope in Him.
The bitterness and hardship my mom has endured to provided and love for each of us and our dad, could be said of any loving parent. My mom remembers the things that have happened in her life, and through it all she humbled her heart daily to God, knowing He was leading her through it. David writes in Psalm One Hundred and Three, and the whole Psalm is a beautiful remembrance of God’s steadfast love, says beginning in verse eight,
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and ABOUNDING IN STEADFAST LOVE. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He DOES NOT DEAL WITH US ACCORDING TO OUR SINS, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For AS HIGH as the heavens are above the earth, so GREAT IS HIS steadfast love toward those who fear him; as FAR as the east is from the west, so far does HE REMOVE OUR transgressions from us.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)
When we repent, God erases our past of rebellion of Him, and reminds us each morning, that as High as the heavens are, so is His steadfast love. The love that came to die for each person ever to have walked, is walking, and will walk on this earth, for anyone who will receive it, the choice is yours to make. Your body can ache and your mind may be a mess, but Jeremiah writes, that his SOUL says, “The Lord is his portion!”
I am learning to be like that, and calling to mind all the times God has blessed us, when it seemed there was no hope, but my soul was at peace. I know that like my mom; God’s love is steadfast, and as much as my mom does love us, it doesn’t compare to God’s eternal and steadfast love. The beauty is that regardless of what we’ve done and felt the day before, He renews our soul daily, and it never comes to an end. It reminds me of what David says in Psalm four verse eight,
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (ESV)
Can you say that? Can you lie down to sleep in peace? Only in Jesus can we find true rest and peace, the problems won’t disappear, but we can DWELL in His safety. We all one day will come to an end, so my questions is, where will you put your hope? I love my mom with all my breath, but my true love and hope is in Jesus, and in God the Father, that thru His Holy Spirit, will save me and never leave me, even after my end here on earth. My prayer is that you also come and see the goodness of the Lord before the end. I pray Jesus is your portion, and that it may also be “well” within your soul.” Jose Barajas
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