They Are New Every Morning

When our new addition on our house was finished in December, 2011, our oldest son made this statement, "Mom, I don't think I'll ever get used to the new part."  Our daughter - the oldest - agreed, especially since she would be leaving for college in a year and a half.  It made me a little sad.  I was excited about having more room, but didn't like the thought of change, especially if the two oldest weren't thinking it would feel like home.

I enjoyed the new space from the start and it only took a few days to really get used to it because it was so nice having more room, but what surprised me was that within a couple of months that oldest boy made another statement:  "Mom, I don't really even remember what our house looked like before this new part was here!"  Wow!  How did just a few months' time change his opinion? Because it was still home!  It still felt like home!  And, most likely he was enjoying being in his bedroom all by himself and without his two younger brothers in there with him.

One of the first thing I do every morning after waking up the kids is to open the blinds in the new addition part.  I love having east windows that I didn't have before and being able to see the sun coming up or just barely up.  It's a great start to the new day and makes me think of God and all of His wonderful blessings.

Lately as I've opened up the blinds, I've thought of this song:  "The Steadfast Love of the Lord".  Maybe you know it.  It's based on this verse:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, 

his mercies never come to an end; 

they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, 

"therefore I will hope in him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

Just like we got used to our new addition, but enjoy it every day, we may get used to God's mercy and love; however, getting "used" to His love, shouldn't make us think less about it at all.  In fact, each morning we should realize that it's a new day and that yesterday is over.  God's mercy is "new every morning".  It's a clean slate!  He doesn't hold grudges like we sometimes do.  He doesn't love conditionally like we sometimes do.  He is ready, willing, and able to forgive us when we confess our sins if we are walking in the light.  He will make us spotless and clean by the redeeming blood of Jesus.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1 John 1:5-10

They are new every morning!  What a refreshing thought!