New Every Morning

 I woke up this morning with a verse in my head; one that is a favorite of mine, but seems to have special meaning on this day after Easter:

"Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 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..." (Lamentations 3: 21-24)

This speaks to me of a hope, not of some future date when things will be better or we will experience the promise of eternal life, but a living hope that is new every morning. A hope that is present, in the here and now; a newness of life that can be living in our hearts each day.

No matter what regrets we have for things said or done in the past, no matter what brokenness or heartache we have experienced, we have a Spirit available to us that fills us to overflowing, restores us and makes us new, everyday.

It doesn't mean that we're not accountable for mistakes made, but it does mean that we are shown mercy, that forgiveness is freely given and that newness of life can be ours if we choose to accept these gifts.

I've been around long enough to have made a bunch of mistakes in my life and I could easily allow myself to get bogged down in self-blame and regrets. Or, I could take this verse to heart and trust that I truly can be made new each day, letting all the past baggage go and trusting in the promise of a new morning.

Morning has broken, like the first morning

blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

praise for the singing, praise for the morning

praise for them springing, fresh from the world...

(Cat Stevens)