“I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:19–23
Dear Jesus, every day, every hour—things come to mind. Some of us woke up today knee-deep in a rising river of anxious, fearful, worrisome thoughts. Others went to bed angry, dreamed angry dreams, had angry thoughts for breakfast are still angry 2 1/2 cups of coffee later. Long before Dolly Parton’s death yesterday, many of us were thinking 87% sad thoughts—as everything wrong and broken in the world claims more of our mental and emotional life.
This was the season of life and state of mind Jeremiah was in when he penned the beloved verses above—referring to himself as having an arrow pierced heart (Lam.3:13), a diet of bitter herbs and liquid gall (3:15), lost splendor and lost hope in the Lord (3:18). Jesus, thank you for giving us the freedom to be just as honest as Jeremiah. And thank you for grace to follow Jermiah’s discipline of not just living by whatever “comes to mind,” but by also “calling to mind” the hope fueling realities of the Gospel.
As I begin this August 2026 Wednesday, here are 7 of my favorite things I call to mind today, Jesus—all ours because of who you are and what you have done for us. These riches of grace don’t negate the painful, broken, sad realities of life, but they inhabit and transform them:
- We are totally seen, known, and forgiven
- We are 100% righteous in you, Jesus
- We have been adopted by our Father
- We are citizens of heaven
- We are beloved in the present
- We are sealed for eternity
- We are destined to be 100% like you, Jesus
This isn’t mind over matter; it’s grace over all things. Hallelujah, thank you, and So Very Amen
