Category: Lamentations

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Every Morning

The picture folders on my computer are filled with images of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. There’s just something about the handiwork of the Lord that puts me in awe!

In my almost seventy years of life there has never been a morning that the sun hasn’t risen or an evening when it hasn’t set. “Of course, it does”, you say. I think that all too often we take the routine for granted or ignore it completely.

This morning I was making my day’s list and I wrote call and postpone the appointment. That’s when my thoughts turned to the Father’s mercy and peace. He has never once postponed or canceled His daily goodness.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. 26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save them.” Lamentations 3:22-26 ERV

We should be looking for signs of God’s love every morning. He has something new to show us.

In just the same way that we search out the Lord’s loving kindness we should be canceling tomorrow’s worries.

“ Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.” Matthew 6:31-34 ERV

Did you go to bed worrying last night?

We have instruction from Jesus not to focus in on the problems of tomorrow. He reminds us here that the Father knows everything we need, everything that concerns us. He has provided for all that would be worrisome. We are to let those worries go.

As surely as the sun set last night and will rise again this morning, we have the Father’s promise of faithfulness.

“Let the name of the Lord be praised now and forever. 3 From dawn until sunset the name of the Lord deserves to be praised. 4 The Lord is far above all of the nations; he is more glorious than the heavens.” Psalm 113:2-4 CEV

Embrace the sunrise and welcome a new day of God’s faithfulness. Celebrate the setting of the sun by praising Him for handling tomorrow’s problems.

Never postpone an opportunity to praise the Lord for His goodness!

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A Long Night

I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to share with you each day. Most of you I don’t know by sight but only by name. However, you fill my prayers, prayers for peace and health, prayers for a growing relationship with the Father.

I know life is filled with many challenges and for that reason I pray.

You may have gone to bed heavy-hearted last night. Maybe there were things rolling over and over in your mind while you tried to sleep. Some thoughts may have condemned while others just agitated but this is a new day and a time for a fresh start.

“Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. 20 That’s all I ever think about, and I am depressed. 21 Then I remember something that fills me with hope. 22 The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!’ 25 The Lord is kind to everyone who trusts and obeys him. 26 It is good to wait patiently for the Lord to save us.” Lamentations 3:19-26 CEV

It may have been a long night but this morning the Father remains faithful. The Lord’s kindness NEVER fails. The Lord can ALWAYS be trusted. The Lord is ALL I need. I can DEPEND on Him. The Lord’s mercies are new every morning – great is His faithfulness!

The long night is over.

Start fresh today and know that God has not and will not abandon you and He will deliver you in every situation. Let Him FILL you with hope!

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Too Much

Yesterday evening some campers were returning from a walk to the lake and they stopped to tell us what they had seen. When they were standing at the lake’s edge, they had five or six osprey fly directly overhead.

They had told us, just the night before, they had hoped to see some and then tonight there they were. Their comment was “it was almost too much to take in”.

Too much!

Our Father is the God of too much.

“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV

“So remember that the Lord your God is the only God, and you can trust him! He keeps his agreement. He shows his love and kindness to all people who love him and obey his commands. He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations,” Deuteronomy 7:9 ERV

“This faith and knowledge make us sure that we have eternal life. God promised that life to us before time began—and God does not lie.” Titus 1:2 ERV

Too much! Too much love – it continues forever. Too much – His kindness extends to a thousand generations. Too much – He gives eternal life and He is always truthful, He cannot lie.

“Lord my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us—too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count.” Psalm 40:6 ERV

“There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.” John 21:25 ERV

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Too many great plans, too many miracles and good things; unending kindness, always trustworthy, daily mercy. He is ALL we need.

Too much – like the mountain skyline. Each day I stare, sometimes breathless, it seems impossible to take it all in.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need…You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. 6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23 CEV

We will never exhaust the mercy, the kindness, the provision or the love of our heavenly Father or of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

They have no end. They are simply too much!

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Each New Day

Every day we have the opportunity to continue on the path of the previous day or to begin anew. Honestly, many days I am thankful for the opportunities to start over.

My hobbies include knitting, baking and gardening. They have taught me it’s ok to start over. Some knitting projects haven’t worked out the way the pattern indicated they would – I’ve ripped out rows and rows of stitches and with a couple of them I have started over with a completely new pattern that works better.

I’ve experimented with recipes in the kitchen that I won’t be repeating. I’ve made breads that didn’t rise and the whole batch had to be scrapped and I’ve started over. There’s no shame in that; it’s a learning experience.

Living in different climates my enthusiasm for gardening has also had some do-overs. Some plants thrived during the milder summers but couldn’t survive the frosty winters. So Spring was a time to prune and pull up and start over.

Life also challenges us to start over. New career, city, friends, relationships, financial plans, educational training, physical well-being can all lead to us on a path of beginning again. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed, and feelings of insecurity and failure try to take over.

One thing I am confident of is that God is the God of the second chance.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends.23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ERV

We go to bed at night, heavy-hearted, because we have failed in some way or another. We had displayed an attitude that we thought we had conquered; we harbor a grudge or fail to resist a temptation that we swore we would never do again.

And then comes the promise of a new day. We can live with regret, wallow in our past mistakes or we can begin again trusting in God’s amazing love.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.24 Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Yes, I know I repeated the same verses…and I would like you to read them again, and again, and again. The Lord’s kindness NEVER fails! His mercy is new EVERY morning!

“I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help. The Lord answered and made me free.
6 The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid. No one on earth can do anything to harm me.
7 The Lord is my helper.” Psalm 118:5-7 ERV

Today is a new day filled with new hope; new mercy and grace; new strength. It’s time to begin again!

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Just Before Dawn

You all know that I enjoy being up to the welcome the dawn. It’s a wonderful time of the day!

However, in the “olden days” as I called them as a kid, the hour before dawn’s early light could be the most dangerous time of day. For two warring nations the battle plans were being made, soldiers were maneuvering into position and the fighting would ensue at dawn.

It was the job of the night watchman to keep a sharp eye so that he could detect any movement and alert the commanders. He certainly didn’t want to be caught sleeping on watch. Lives would be lost and nations could crumble if the watchman wasn’t alert.

There was great relief when the sun rose and things could be seen clearly. Then the watchman was relieved from his duties and he could rest. That’s the picture this Psalm is painting.

“Lord, I am in deep trouble, so I am calling to you for help. 2 My Lord, listen to me. Listen to my cry for help. 3 Lord, if you punished people for all their sins, no one would be left alive.
4 But you forgive people, so they fear and respect you. 5 I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for him. I trust what he says. 6 I am waiting for my Lord, like a guard waiting and waiting for the morning to come. 7 Israel, trust in the Lord. Lord is the one who is faithful and true. He saves us again and again, 8  and he is the one who will save the people of Israel from all their sins.” Psalm 130 ERV

The writer of the Psalm sees sin as an enemy that will attack and destroy. He is trusting there will be help to defeat the enemy. He’s watching and waiting for the morning when he knows he will see that help has arrived and he is saved, forgiven, of the sin that destroys!

Amen and Amen!

Maybe you feel like you are about to be overrun by the enemies in your life. Does it seem like a long dark night with no help in sight? Keep watching – the day will be dawning and when it does you will see that the Lord is there to save you, again.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 CEV

Put your trust in Him. His mercies are new every morning, great is the faithfulness of our God!

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Big Mess!

One of our grandsons had a saying when he was about two, “Ooo mess”! This was his comment when things were out-of-order or just didn’t look the way he felt they should.

On occasion I have looked in the mirror and thought ooo mess. Have you? I’ve sometimes felt that I was the world biggest mess.

Let’s evaluate yesterday. Was it a good day? Was I productive and helpful or did I let self-pity and hurt feelings rule? Was my speech kind or harsh? Was I critical or complimentary? Did I look like Jesus or did everyone see an old version of myself, that should be buried?

Were the words “ooo mess” the best description of my day or was it “wow, message”?

If you were more of a mess than a message I have good news for you.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.” Lamentations 3:22-25 NLT

As I sit here looking out my front window the sun hasn’t come up yet. It’s still dark but I know a new day is coming and with it I have God’s promise of mercy for whatever the day holds.

I am so thankful that the Lord doesn’t look at us and say – ooo, mess. Instead He sees us and says “wow, I have a message of mercy for you”. It’s a new day and the Father is covering us with mercy.

“‘Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'” Isaiah 1:18 NLT

The little boy in this morning’s picture was a mess; his Mom saw a masterpiece. Her lovingkindness covered him with warm water and soap bubbles and what had been a mess was now clean.

“O God, favor me because of Your loving-kindness. Take away my wrong-doing because of the greatness of Your loving-pity. 2 Wash me inside and out from my wrong-doing and make me clean from my sin.”Psalm 51:1-2 NLV

The message of this morning is this: yesterday’s mess, big mess, has been taken care of. The Lord has washed and cleansed us with His love and mercy. Before the sun comes up, He has given us new mercies for the day and He is faithful to His word, “come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace in our time of need”.

We are no longer a mess but our life is a message!

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Second Chances

Have you ever had one for those days when you feel like you said the wrong thing or didn’t do what’s right? You know those days when you’re just down on yourself for whatever reason – maybe it was a major screw up – we’ve all been there.

“This is how we know we are Christians. It will give our heart comfort for sure when we stand before Him. 20 Our heart may say that we have done wrong. But remember, God is greater than our heart. He knows everything.” I John 3:19-20 NLV

God isn’t condemning us, He loves us and is cheering us on in this journey. After all, He sent His Son to die for us, proving His great love!

I worked with a woman once who made a big mistake and our boss ridiculed her in my presence. He was merciless; she was embarassed and filled with shame. He left for lunch and my heart told me I needed to say something to her, something that would help bring a solution.

She had been out of the room, crying, and when she returned I asked her a question. “What is the name on your birth certificate?” Odd question right? It took her off guard and she answered with her name. To which I replied “Thank goodness. For a minute there I was thinking that it must have read “G-o-d” because Dr. ______ was acting like that’s who you were and should never have made a mistake”. She smiled and we began to work on a solution.

The first step was talking to our employer. I confronted him and told him he was wrong and if he wanted to fire me for speaking up he could but that he shouldn’t be treating people that way. I didn’t get fired, he apologized, things worked out and he and I became good friends.

That was a situation where her heart was condemning her but it was also a opportunity for God’s love to bring peace.

We all need second chances and God is the master of the second chance.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT

The Lord corrects when we are wrong. He doesn’t allow us to continually sin and not be corrected but His correction is wrapped in love and tied with mercy and grace.

“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?” Hebrews 12:7-9 NLV

Since none of us are perfect there is a time that we all need correction. The Apostle Paul wrote that God’s word is profitable for our correction, reproof and instruction in right living. One thing I am certain of – God, the Father, is not an abusive parent. Everything He does in our lives is based on His love.

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32 NLT

If God is for us, who can be against us? Yes, God is the master of the second chance.

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Where Did the Moon Go?

When I was a kid I used to wonder where the moon went when it was gone.

Did you notice there really wasn’t a moon last night? You probably didn’t think about it at all. Happens all the time doesn’t it? Yet, we know that when the moon turns to that tiny little sliver very shortly there will be a full moon to take it’s place.

Each new day reminds me that the Lord is into new beginnings. The sun is always rising and setting – the tide always brings the waves in and out – our God always was, is and always will be. He promises that each morning He will have new ways to show us His love and His mercy.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal!” Lamentations 3:22-23 ERV

Everything on earth has a beginning and an end. There is only One who is eternal. He has no beginning and no end and He is ever present – always there, when we call upon Him and when we ignore Him, He is present. The Bible starts with “In the beginning GOD” and it ends the same way.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13 ERV

Those of us who believe in Christ as Savior have eternal life. There is so much more to our lives than this physical existence; it is our life in Christ. It is an abundant life where we draw from God’s love, mercy, grace and goodness each and every day.

“for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

A new day is beginning, one the giver of life, abundant life, eternal life, has designed for us.

Enjoy this day, it’s a new beginning!

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An Empty Page

Each morning I sit with my laptop and before me on the screen is an empty page. My heart’s prayer is “Lord let me fill it with Your words. I want to make an impact for you”.

This morning was different, I sat here for the longest time wondering what to write or if I should write at all. Then I realized that ‘s exactly what the Lord wants us to do – He wants us to sit each day with an empty page and ask Him to fill it.

People constantly sought Jesus out. Most of them were wanting some kind of a miracle; healing, deliverance from demonic oppression, or help with an impossible life situation but others were wanting to criticize and entrap Him. He needed to know what the Father wanted Him to do each day so He would rise early and spend time in prayer.

“The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray.” Mark 1:35 ERV

He offered the Father the blank page of His day and asked Him to fill it. There were times when Jesus’ disciples would say we should go here or there and Jesus would respond with a no or not yet. It’s important that we know which way the Father wants us to go.

“If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, “You should go this way. Here is the right way.” Isaiah 30:21 ERV

A blank page can be intimidating or it can be exhilarating. If we feel that we need to fill the page on our own, without help or direction, we might become timid or immobile. But when we know that we can trust God to give us insight and instruction it brings a new excitement to what otherwise could be ordinary.

“Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful,  we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!’” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

When we start our day by bringing the Lord our empty page to fill we are in for an exciting and glorious day!

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A Good Day

Has anyone told you today “I love you”? It’s a good day to experience and to share some love. I am blessed because every morning when Dave gets up the first thing he does is give me a kiss and tell me “I love you”.

I have to wonder – how many people go through an entire day and never hear those words? Young, old; married, single; rich, poor; college grad or drop out; CEO or janitor; employed or homeless; we all need to know we are loved.

I think that many go through life never knowing they are loved. If only we were better at sharing our love with them, then they could see, through us, the love that the Father has for them. His love is unconditional; He loves us on our best days and on our worst.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-25 ERV

The Lord’s faithful love NEVER ends.

Let that sink in – His love never ends. Each day He has new ways of showing us His love. It doesn’t falter because we do. He loves even the most despicable of people; God so loved the world – that’s everyone.

In November, I took time to write down one or two things each day that I was grateful for. In December, I was writing down things that I felt were gifts from God. During January, I’ve been recording things that happened each day to give me encouragement. And now as February approaches I will be listing the things I experience (large and small) each day that the Father uses to express His love.

Please join me in making a love list. I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks going through God’s word and delivering to you each day a Valentine from the Father.

If no one has ever told you that you are loved let me be the first. Your heavenly Father loves you beyond measure and I do too.

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