The Dividing Wall: His Mercy is More

This week our pastor will be preaching from Colossians 2:8-15. One of the themes found in these passages is the sufficiency of Christ to save his people. Listen to the testimony of the Apostle Paul, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). This will be the focus of our meditation this week and the theme of our praise as we consider Him who knew no sin yet became sin for us and put away the penalty of sin as He took our sins to the cross and nailed them there. Hebrews reminds us that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins. And so, in God’s glorious wisdom and rich mercy, He sent His only son to shed His blood at Calvary for His people. In doing so, He canceled the debt of sin that we owed. Not only this, but let us consider that He canceled ALL of our sin (past, present, and future). While we may see the sinfulness of our life in this fleshly body as a constant reminder of our fallen nature, we must look to Christ and realize that His grace abounds more than our sin ever could. In this reality is the hope and assurance of every believer.

Scripture Reading for Sunday, February 2, 2025

Lamentations 3:21-26 (ESV)

21 But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

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.”

25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

26 It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

Reflections on Lamentations 3:21-26

According to Miriam Webster’s dictionary, a lamentation is “an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret.” For the readers of the old testament book of Lamentations, that expression of sorrow is found in the judgement of God that has been poured out on His people, Israel, as they are taken captive by Babylon. These were God’s covenant people. But they had disobeyed His law and were suffering the consequences of His judgement against them. It is clear from the reading of this book that there is great sorrow and anguish over the sins that have been committed against God and the ramification of those sins in sorrow and misery.

The writer of Lamentations, often assumed to be Jeremiah, says in the verses just before our reading. “He has filled me with bitterness; he has sated me with wormwood. He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.’ Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me” (Lamentations 3:15-20). We as Christians also suffer the consequences of our own sin here in this life. At times, our sin can weigh us down in despair as we become fixated on our shortcomings and not on our savior. Like the writer of Lamentations, we may find our soul bereft of peace and having forgotten what happiness is. We can feel alienated from God–not because He has left us, but because we have wandered from Him.

Take heart, dear child of God! Our verses this week remind us that in Christ we have hope! With the writer of Lamentations may we call to mind and therefore have hope in the steadfast love of the Lord that NEVER ceases. According to His promises, His mercies are new every morning and never end! Great is His faithfulness! I love how the writer proclaims that the Lord is his portion. This means that his hope is in God who will provide for Him. And so God is our portion as He has provided for our future through Christ. Are you in a season of lamentation? Dear christian, turn your eyes upon Jesus. He has finished the work at the cross. His mercy is without end! Your sin cannot outrun the mercy of God. Confess your sin and He is faithful to forgive it. Wait quietly on the salvation of the Lord.

Song Selection for Sunday, February 2, 2025

The Solid Rock

God is our portion. We can then raise our voices in song because our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. The second verse echoes the verses from Lamentation: “When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace.” May your hope be in the solid rock of Christ.

Grace That is Greater Than All Our Sin

This hymn recalls the great truth of Romans 5:20: “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” And therein lies our hope and joy in Christ–grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

A Debtor to Mercy Alone

Written by Augustus Toplady in the 1700’s, this hymn is a reminder that we have absolutely nothing to offer God. We are debtors to nothing but His mercy. And we rest assured that His promises are true: “The work that your goodness began, the arm of your strength will complete. Your promise is yes and amen, and never was forfeited yet.”

Song for Consideration

His Mercy is More

Songwriters: Matt Boswell, Matt Papa

Performed by: Shane & Shane

Lyrics:

What love could remember no wrongs we have done

Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum

Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore