4G Challenge - A New and Living Way to Live Our Faith

Lamentations 3-5 Wow! Now we know why they call this book Lamenations. Personally I would name it "Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth." Hard to read how terrible things were for the people of Israel and how the people and the writer view God. 
 
But as we reflect on our own lives and our lives together as a church, it's easy to see the times when we too felt "afflicted" and we have been far from a sense of peace and happiness. 3:17 My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. But the good news is that if just stop for a moment and look deep within ourselves, where God's Spirit reside, we will realize we are not alone, we will realize the Word of God lives in us giving us a future and a hope. 3:20-21 . Surely my soul remembers . . . . This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. That's what we have that the children of Israel did not have. The promise of Christ never to leave us, nor never forsake us. So even in our darkest times, if we but need to wait a moment, and seek after God, God will restore our souls, our hearts, and our spirit.  3:25 Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. 3:32-33 For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to The Lord? 5:19, 21 You, O Lord, rule forever;Your throne is from generation to generation.  Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored;
 
Hebrews 10:19-39 - Today's Epistle reading is a great companion to today's Old Testament reading because it shows how different and essentially easier way we have it because of Jesus Christ. We have a new and living way ²⁰ by a new and living way . . . to live our faith. And so we should have confidence that we can be dangerous Christians, Radical Devoted Followers of Jesus because we are not alone in this journey. Not only do we have Christ in us and around us but we have each other. That is one of the reasons we Gather as a church, to support one another and to be reminded of the Good News of God's Word. ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; [so that] ³⁶ you may receive ^[what was promised.