當明芳把年邁多病的父親接到她家照顧之後，照顧父親的日常需求讓她感到力不從心。她需要為父親購買昂貴的醫療用品，還要照顧父親的生活起居。父親的健康狀況日益惡化，她需要智慧知道該怎麼做。照顧父親幾乎花了她全部的時間，而且她還有一份全職的工作，這令她疲憊不堪。她說：「我要從哪裡獲得能力、智慧、愛心、資源，才可以這樣不斷地付出？」

明芳從耶利米哀歌看到盼望，書中描述耶利米和上帝的子民悲哀哭泣。那時，耶路撒冷被巴比倫人摧毀，猶太人被擄掠、前途未卜。這是難以承受的苦難，但上帝應許「出於[祂]諸般的慈愛」，他們就不致滅絕（耶利米哀歌3章22節）。即使他們被擄到異國他鄉，離開了應許之地，上帝的盟約之愛依舊不變，因「祂的憐憫永不止息」（22節，新譯本）。

上帝對祂兒女的愛永無止境。明芳從3章24節領悟到：「上帝是我的福分，祂能供應我一切所需。」她還說：「上帝的愛永不止息，所以我可以從上帝那裡汲取能力，天天不斷地獲得與付出。」

當我們順服上帝，無論前景如何，我們仍有盼望。上帝具備至高的智慧，祂知道我們需要什麼，並會以祂認為最好的方式來供應我們。

When Josie’s ill and aging father moved in with her, she felt overwhelmed by the daily needs of caring for him. The medications she needed to buy were expensive. The caregiving tasks and the wisdom needed to guide her decision-making for his worsening health condition, aside from her other “full-time” job, were wearing her down. She said, “How could I keep gathering and giving out strength, practical resources, wisdom, and love?”

Josie found hope in Lamentations, a book about the grief Jeremiah and God’s people felt. Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians, and the Jews now faced the uncertain days of exile ahead. The suffering was overwhelming, but God promised that “because of [His] great love we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22). His covenant love would remain with them, even if they were no longer in the promised land: “for his mercies never cease” (v. 22 nlt).

God’s love for His children has no limits. “God is my portion, my personal source of everything,” Josie realized, echoing verse 24. “I can gather and give out what’s needed each day because I draw my strength from Him, whose love never runs out.”

As we live in obedience to God, we can have hope, no matter what lies ahead. In His perfect wisdom, He knows what we need and will provide for us as He sees best.