The Lord is my Portion

The LORD is my Portion

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

His mercies never come to an end;

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,

‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

Lamentations 3:22-24, ESV

The above verses compose one of my favorite songs of all time. It is a short powerful narrative that swiftly pulls me out of the instability of my provisions and places me in the comfort of resting in God’s faithfulness. A reflection on what the author was going through adds even more depth to these statements of trusting in the LORD.

Lamentations is written during the siege and exile of Judah. Jeremiah employs five poems to describe how awful the conditions Israel was experiencing and to cry out to God in protest. Jerusalem was in ruins, the temple destroyed, worship has ceased, they are being dragged away from the land that God had promised, and the people that remain are eating whatever they can find in the dirt and streets. It is in these circumstances that Jeremiah is still able to cry out that he sees new mercies every day through God’s faithfulness.

How often do I look at my life and the troubles and temporarily cease to see that God is my provider? When I am in the middle of calamity and my world around me is falling, I often can see no mercies, only afflictions. I become engulfed in hardship such that I doubt the steadfastness of his grace. It’s because I am finding my portion in this world, rather than the LORD. To have God as my portion says that no matter how bad my life here is, I have a full life because the LORD is mine. He fills my cup up because he is enough.

LORD, You are my portion.

LORD, you are enough.

I love you

Jonathan