Memory Verse Monday

This week's verse again comes from the sermon, from a series titled Hope Floats. This week was on perseverance and resilience - waiting through a trial.

Lamentations 3:24-26
²⁴“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord

I really like how the Message Bible is worded:

²⁴ I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.
²⁵ God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
²⁶ It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.

God is it. He's the only one who can get me through this. I must look to God. I will wait for HIS answer. I will wait for HIS help. God will save me.

I looked at several different versions of this and I thought it was interesting that the words wait and hope were used interchangably. One version says wait in vs 24 while another version says hope. Then version A said hope in vs 25 and verson B says wait. They are synonymous in this context.

Waiting for the Lord is having Hope in Him.
Waiting for His response. Having the Hope that He will respond.

The Isrealites waited for the Lord to rescue them from Egypt. But they didn't wait patiently. They didn't understand God's timing and God's plan. Consequently, when they were taken to the promised land, they didn't enter. God didn't give them their land because they didn't wait patiently or quietly or silently. They didn't trust God. They didn't have Hope in Him.

One of my favorite hymns is one that is probably not well-known. It's one my mother had memorized, so when my sister and I were acting up, we would sing it. I've not yet met anyone else who knows this hymn.

My Hope Is in the Lord
Hymn lyrics and Music by Norman J. Clayton

Verse 1
My hope is in the Lord
Who gave Himself for me,
And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.

Chorus
For me He died,
For me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.

Verse 2
No merit of my own
His anger to suppress.
My only hope is found in Jesus’ righteousness.
Chorus

Verse 3
And now for me He stands
Before the Father’s throne.
He shows His wounded hands and names me as His own.
Chorus

Verse 4
His grace has planned it all,
’Tis mine but to believe,
And recognize His work of love and Christ receive
Chorus