Lamentations 3:22-23

EVERY MORNING

What’s your morning ritual?  When does the blaring of the alarm clock burst your pleasant sleep?  What are all the little things you “check off” before you leave the house for the day?  Is receiving compassion one of those things?

You might not notice it, but before your alarm clock stirs you to action, God has already been busy.  God tells you that his love and compassion protect you and greet you every morning.
 
Why would you and I need God’s love and compassion every morning?  God tells us that we are sinners.  Just remembering our conduct over the last 24 hours, there are so many times we have done, said or thought things that God hates.  Not only do we commit sins, God tells us that we have a sinful nature that hates what God loves and loves what God hates.  Because of what we do and who we are by nature, we deserve to “be consumed” – punished by God.
 
But God promises to treat us differently than we deserve.  In love, God decided to treat his Son differently than he deserved, too.  In our place and for all of our sins, Jesus was punished.  He suffered in our place on the cross and died.  In love, God let his Son, Jesus, be consumed because of our sins. 

Now, God greets you each day with his love and compassion.  For the sake of Jesus, God forgives your sins.  You produce new sins every day.  So, God gives you love and compassion every day – new every morning.

May God bless you with sleep that leaves you feeling “new” every morning.  And whether or not your physical rest brings you into the new day feeling refreshed, God faithfully greets you each morning with his love and compassion through Jesus.  May God’s great love and unfailing compassion refresh you every morning and propel you through each day.