And Wonders of His Love (Lamentations 3:21-33; 1 John 4:7-21)

This message takes us deep into the heart of God's steadfast love during seasons of grief and waiting. Drawing from Lamentations 3, we encounter a powerful portrait of someone who has lost all hope, grinding their teeth on gravel, feeling abandoned and forgotten. Yet right in the middle of this despair comes a defiant declaration: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. This Hebrew concept of chesed, God's covenantal loyal love, appears nearly 250 times in the Old Testament, reminding us that God's love doesn't just show up when life falls apart—it stays. The message beautifully connects this ancient lament to the Advent season, showing us that waiting isn't about finding solutions or explanations, but about trusting in the steady presence of a faithful God. When we feel like we've lost everything, we're invited to declare with the psalmist that the Lord is our portion—He is enough. The turning point comes when we enter God's sanctuary, when we gather with His people and are reminded of who He truly is. This isn't about denying our pain or pretending everything is fine; it's about viewing our waiting through the lens of God's love rather than through our suffering. The incarnation proves that God's love isn't just a feeling—it's action, it's flesh, it's Jesus stepping into our darkness with mercy that never runs out.