Grace Renewed Each Morning

Do you ever wish you could have a fresh start?  Maybe you are regretting a bad decision, impatient reaction, or harsh words you said recently. Or maybe you have a long-term regret or relational pain that you have been struggling with for years.  

No matter what the circumstances, you can take refuge in God’s Word today. These verses refresh our thirsty souls. This scripture is plopped right down in the middle of the book of Lamentations, an unlikely spot to find an uplifting verse like this.  

Lamentations, which literally means “cries of grief”, is an appropriate name for this book. It was written at a dark time in Israel’s history. After hundreds of years of patience, God has finally brought disciplining judgement on the Israelites for their wickedness and refusal to repent. The Babylonian empire has taken the Israelites captive and has destroyed the city of Jerusalem. This book captures laments over the Israelites’ sins and the resulting tragedy.  

So how does our beautiful verse for today find itself tucked away in here?  Despite the heaviness of the conviction and consequences of their sins, our writer recognizes God’s faithfulness and provision. He knows God is with them despite their bleak circumstances.  He writes about three aspects of God’s goodness.  

1. His loving kindnesses, which never cease. He is good and gracious at all times.  
2. His compassion, which never fails. He is full of love and mercy that never waver.  
3. His faithfulness, which is great. He is abundantly steadfast and trustworthy.

The writer emphasizes this goodness of God’s character, and he recognizes that God's grace is relentless! The truth of this scripture is the same for us today. When we mess up, God's loving kindnesses never cease. When we feel ashamed and unworthy, God’s compassions never fail. When our circumstances look bleak, God’s faithfulness is great. God’s mercy to us is so much greater than our mercy to ourselves or others.  

The refreshment of a new day, or even a new moment, means that we don’t have to hold on to the past. Today is a new day and God has fresh love and mercy for you. Delight in this truth today.