Jump Start # 902

Lamentations 3:22-23 “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

In the midst of describing the horrific destruction of his beloved Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah remembered the goodness and mercy of God. Rich in descriptive words, these verses  teach us that God has a continual love for those who want to walk with Him and be faithful.

I especially like the expression, “they are new every morning.” There is something about a new day. A new day greets us with plenty to do. It’s off to work, school, or pursuing a list of errands that we must run. Often our days run together. The more we try to squeeze into a day, the more we fail to complete in a day. Work carries over from one day to the next. Home projects and duties trickle into the next day. Our days are full.

This passage though is not about what we do in a day, but what God does. His lovingknindness, which means mercy and His compassion, which means His love and care never cease. They never fail. God never runs out. You and I do. We tire. We get tired of stress. We get tired of each other. We get tired of messes. We get tired of helping others. We get tired of forgiving. Not God. His mercy never ceases, His compassion never fails. You see that illustrated with Jesus. You never see Him losing His temper and walking away from hurting people. You never see Him shouting, “You got yourself in that mess, you take care of it.” His lovingkindnesses never cease.

What would happen if they did? What would happen if God no longer cared? Prayers rejected. Blessings turned off. What if God turned His back to the world and said, “I’m tired of them. I’m through with them.” If God did that we’d be sunk. That would be what Hell is like. Instead, they never cease. They never fail. They are new every morning. New mercy. New compassion. Not leftovers. Not old stuff. Not hand-me-downs. New. Every morning.

As you wake up, God has new hope for you, new mercy for you, new compassion for you. They are new today. He wants to guide you today. He wants to help you today. He wants to bless you today. All of that sounds good to us. We’d think, “Yes, sir, bring it on!” Yet, I wonder how are we to God every new morning? Tired? Grumpy? In too much of a hurry for God? Preoccupied with getting everyone out the door? Running late and hope to give God a few minutes at the end of the day, if I’m not too tired?

I see a contrast here. God is new fresh and ready to go every morning. Every morning compassionate, merciful. I see us too consumed with horizontal living that we forget God is up there. Up there ready for us. Up there with new compassion. Up there hoping we will be thinking of Him this morning.

I’m glad God is not like us. There are some mornings I ought to go back to bed and start over. There are some mornings I can’t seem to get things going. There are some mornings that all I am thinking about is what I have to do that day. To be honest, there are some days, that God doesn’t enter the picture. I start the day that way. He doesn’t. Every morning, even today, He has new lovingkindness and compassions. New. Fresh. Just ready for you, TODAY.

Makes you wonder doesn’t it? Why is God so good to us? If He treated us like we treat Him, most of us would be in trouble. He doesn’t. He’s patient. He’s merciful. He’s looking. He’s waiting.

Why not take a moment, and pray to God. Thank Him for this day. Ask Him for strength, for this day. Bring God into your day. It’ll help you, affect you, and change you. And to think, brand new, just for today, lovingkindnesses and compassions, straight from Heaven!

Wow! Now, that’s a beautiful day!

Roger