It’s a new year with all kinds of challenges, both cultural and personal. Many of us have great concerns, and the daily news doesn’t help! The news is ten-to-one bad!
But God made a promise through Jeremiah way back in the Book of Lamentations, centuries before Christ, that still holds true. Things then could not have been worse as Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of his nation. Yet, in the midst of all that, God gave him hope and reassurance.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say to myself “the Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-26
God’s mercies are new every morning! His faithfulness is great. An old song says, “If I’d never had a problem, I’d never know that God could solve them; I’d never know what faith in his word could do!” (Andrae Crouch) God is our portion and we can wait quietly on him to bring us hope and goodness. But we must seek him! What does that look like?
Well, daily time with the Lord can lead to daily renewal! Many people start in the morning. I know I watch too much news. So I need to refocus each morning on God’s good news! I find it every time I open his Word. I need more than ever to seek him above all else for my good news, my daily renewal. It also helps to listen to or sing a spiritual song! If you listen to the Lord, he will bring many of those to mind!
I pray that you find daily renewal in this New Year. Let’s start and develop good habits early in 2022.
Lord, thank you that we can find renewal in you every morning. Someone said that we find fresh bread, not stale, when we seek you. Thank you that your mercies and compassion are great and that they are new every morning. Thank you that in Christ there is always good news to focus on, despite the world around us.
Lord, even when we see judgment taking place on our society, we know that you are at work. You are exposing evil and idolatry. That in itself may lead us back to your righteousness. And we pray that for our society, not only personally. May we be a light and example to our families of the daily renewal we can experience this year.
“God you are my God, and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning and I will learn to walk in your ways. And step by step you lead me and I will follow you all of my days.” Rich Mullins