The Lord Is My Portion

Background info of the text:

Judah’s distress 3:1—20

Jeremiah a spokesman of the suffering people, lamented God’s hostile treatment of the nation.

He compared their suffering to various unpleasant and life-threatening experiences, including physical sickness, injury, and imprisonment in a dark dungeon.

Confidence in God’s faithfulness 3:21—42

Despite experiencing experiencing the Lord’s disfavor, Jeremiah retained hope.

God’s loyal love, compassion, and faithfulness kept the nation from total destruction.

The Lord deliver those who trust in Him, even though they might have to endure His discipline for a time.

God is sovereign and He decrees both calamity and blessing.

Jeremiah urged his fellow countrymen to acknowledge their sins and come before the Lord in humble repentance.

As terrible and awful as things may be, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse, for if we had been dealt with according to our sins, we should’ve been consumed long ago; but since we are dealt with according to God’s own mercy, let us acknowledge it and give Him the praise—the Lord Is My Portion!

Remembering God’s Promises Leads to Reassurance—v21

His word never fails Mt 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

His word is eternal Psa 119:89 “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.”

His word accomplishes His will Isa 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Jesus Christ is the ultimate Living Word of God Jn 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ”

Rely on the Relentless Great Love of God—v22

His relentless love is unfailing Psa 130:7 “Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.”

His relentless love is far greater than our sin Rom 5:20 “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,”

He will not cause us to be consumed by our circumstances Psa 78:38 “But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath;”

Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of God’s love to mankind Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Renewed by His Everlasting Faithfulness—v23

He refreshes you daily with new mercies 2Co 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

He will not abandon you Deut 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example God’s faithfulness Php 2:10 “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

We Are the Recipients of His Goodness—v24-25;

He is our all in all—everything we need is in Him Acts 17:28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”

Illus. Jesus is all the world to me, My life, my joy, my all; He is my strength from day to day, Without Him I would fall. When I am sad, to Him I go, No other one can cheer me so; When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend. Will L. Thompson

We receive His goodness when we:

put our trust in Him—2Sa 22:31 “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

patiently wait on Him—Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

and when we earnestly seek Him—No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly—Psalm 84:11

Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s goodness Rom 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

How and what does this looks like in our daily lives as Christian believers?

We Can Trust and Take Him at His Word

We Can Rely On His Great Love

We Can Count On His Faithfulness to Us

We Can Rest On His Eternal Goodness to Us