The Lord Will Not Cast Off Forever

Like many of you, my heart has been wrecked this week with the unceasing reports of the brokenness of our world. From the assassination of Charles Kirk in Utah to the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska, an innocent young woman stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I spent the first couple of hours this morning reading and meditating on the Book of Lamentations, which gives us language to lament the overwhelming sinfulness of a broken nation.

It should not surprise us that our fallen world, and the evil forces that saturate it, violently oppose everything that bears the image of God and boldly proclaims the truth of God revealed in scripture. 

Neither the problem nor the solution is political. An honest assessment of recent political violence would conclude that both sides of the political divide have been targeted, including President Trump, Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, and Nancy Pelosi’s husband.

The anger, rage, and vengeance inside the heart of man cannot be resolved with convincing arguments, legislation, or law enforcement. All of it is the fruit of a root problem called sin.

The human heart rages against the truth of God. Those who reject truth as God has revealed it in scripture are left to their own futile attempts to get along. They lack a transcendent approach to dealing with people who disagree with them. Therefore, their only option is to get even or eliminate the source of their disagreement. 

In the midst of lamenting the brokenness of his nation, the author of Lamentations records one of the most unexpected verses in the Bible. 

For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:31–33)

Please join me in asking the God of compassion to extend his steadfast love to our nation. And, despite our sadness and anger at evil, may we be people who embody compassion as we stand for truth.