Although this chapter in Lamentations is not about a traditional marriage, the punch line is about what every bride and groom longs for…that their love will never end.

God’s love is faithful because He is faithful. When circumstances are tedious, heavy or even hurtful, His mercy is renewed every morning towards mankind. The closer each person gets to God, the closer both bride and groom are moved toward each other- better together.

My husband and I just finished watching the docuseries, “Aftershock”. It covered the 2015 earthquake in Nepal from three different angles. Some were trapped on the mountain (Everest). Others escaped from a village (Langtang Valley) that was entirely wiped out. Yet, most of the devastation took place in the capital city of Kathmandu, where close to 9 thousand people died.

What an authentic representation of how people respond in times of disaster. It was also a reminder of how precious life is-as we know it. Clearly, life can change in a moment.

On the great “Day” of the Lord, when God shakes the earth one last time, it will result in final judgment against sin’s curse and the end of life on this earth (before the new heavens and earth are established). This could be today or it could be 5,000 years from now (as the Bible informs us that no one knows the day or the hour.)

The main truth to remember is that we continue to live in such a way as to bring glory to God. Although our mortal life will someday end, God draws us by His steadfast love into a relationship that is truly “eternal”. His gift to us is called eternal life and is defined in John 17- to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This relationship empowers us to live meaningfully.-Teresa #hopeinhim #rejoice #newmercy #newday

Lamentations 3: 22-27 (ESV)

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;^[b]
his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

I Thessalonians 5:1-12 (NET)

1Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. 9 For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

Revelation 16:18-20 (NET)

18 Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath. 20 Every island fled away and no mountains could be found.

John 17:1-5 (NET)

1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you – 2 just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life – that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. 4 I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory I had with you before the world was created. 6