²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.”

Lamentations 3:22-26 (ESV)

Fresh brewed coffee.  Warm cinnamon rolls.  Sweet strawberries.  A cool glass of milk.  A sizzling omelet with melting cheese.   A toasted bagel with cream cheese.  What fresh breakfast item would be a delightful way to start your day?

What would it smell like?  What would it taste like?  How would you feel as your took your first sip or initial bite?  What thoughts would you be having?   How would that make a difference in your day?

How did you start your day this morning?  What was for breakfast?  Were your rushed or did you sit and savor?

I started my day with chocolate chip pancakes and a mug of Caribou blend coffee with peppermint mocha cream.  Ooh la la.  Not my usual morning fare, but it was the first day of school for my kids and my husband whipped up his specialty – buttermilk pancakes.  He is the breakfast man.

Did I mention my chocolate chips were in the shape of a heart?  Oh the little things my hubby does to show me his love.  I appreciate them so much.

In addition to pancakes, I am chewing on these verses from Lamentations.  Particularly the part about new mercies every morning.  Fresh mercy.

As I feel the warmth of the morning sunlight upon my skin there is a fresh feeling about this day.  A fresh feeling about a new school year for my family.  Within the freshness lies a rich hope.

These words of hope from scripture lie in the middle of the book of Lamentations.  According to webster.com, a lamentation is an expression of deep sadness or of great sorrow.  Jeremiah is often referred to as the “weepy prophet”.  It just seems out of place to find hope in the middle of sin and sorrow.

There it is…steadfast love that never ceases, mercies that never come to an end, fresh mercy each morning, and great faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion.

Fresh mercies each morning.  Not spoiled, not old.  Mercies that are clean, pure and unimpaired.  Mercy just arrived with all original qualities in tact.

Fresh mercy.  What an incredible gift!

I had a bit of sorrow and a few tears today as I thought about how often I have ignored this gift of fresh mercy.  How many times have I rushed and hustled about my morning work, running off before even considering it?  No time today, too much to do, too busy to stop.

Instead of taking what is new, clean and pure I try to make do with remnants of the day before or days before.  It may be a bit worn and have some spots, but I think I can just make due with what I have.  I set about acting as if I could just work hard enough I can make it better.  Maybe if I found the a good cleaning tip I could give this mercy a scrub.

I may even find myself taking a sniff and looking for a “best by” date, as if it is a carton of milk that has been occupying the same space in the refrigerator for a little too long.  It doesn’t smell too bad, but there is still a hesitancy before I put it in my mouth.  I better not dip into that fresh mercy, not quite yet.

Why not take a big refreshing drink and savor the taste?  Why not let go of the old?

Do I really deserve it, especially with what I have done and what I have left undone?  Maybe I can hold that fresh mercy out there as a carrot to help me work harder and do better today, then it will be an earned reward.

I pause and hesitate and wonder and pace back & forth.  Fresh mercy.  It sounds so good.  Could it really be for me?

ABSOLUTELY!

Because of God’s great love, His unfailing compassion, He’s got a perfect spot just for me.  He pulls out that chair and says, “You silly girl, just come sit down and enjoy.  Taste and see that I am good.  These mercies are new, they are fresh and they are meant for you to take them and allow them to renew your strength for the day ahead.”

If God’s got a chair for me, who has majored in sin and sorrow for many years, He certainly has one for you too.  God, in His perfect knowledge, knows what portion you need for your day.  He has fresh mercy for you, pure and unimpaired, for you to delight in.

Here’s the next challenge, to take it all in.  Fresh mercy is so good, maybe I should just save a little for later, try to stretch this out and make it last.  I can act like it has been ages since I tasted mercy and as if I am uncertain about when something so sweet will come to me again.

Lord, help me overcome my unbelief and doubt filled actions.

When will it soak into my head and down into my heart that “new every morning” does in fact mean EVERY morning?  It’s as guaranteed as dirty dishes or piles of laundry around my farm house.  It’s more faithful than the sun coming up each morning.  So true is God that I can put my hope in Him.

My dear reader, I hope you are wiser than I.  I hope you take the time to enjoy & savor fresh mercy each morning.  May it be the portion that sustains you through your day, no matter what lies on your calendar or comes along.

I hope we all can leave behind that which is old, spoiled, dirty, impure, worn out and impaired.

There might be a sin in our lives that we think God would not forgive us for.  There may be a bruised or broken relationship.  Maybe words that were spoken cut deep and left an infection of doubt.  Perhaps we are just not where we thought we would be, and feel as if we have just come up short too many times.

God’s mercy is greater than that sin and He promises us forgiveness.  God’s mercy can offer healing and recovery, maybe even reconciliation.  God’s mercy helps us to walk in His path for us, to trust that He is tending to details that we can’t even see.

We can take in fresh mercy each morning because of the greatness of God’s love for us.  Abundant love wants you to sit and savor, take it in and let it fill you with joy.

The Lord just wants to be with you and share this gift with you.  There is no income requirement, no prerequisites, no weight limit, no exclusions, no prohibitions.

Fresh morning mercy made especially for YOU.      

Beloved Lord,

You are truly incredible!  Our lives can be filled with sin, sorrow, and stress.  We know we are longing for something sweeter than what we have been holding on to and taking into our lives.  You eagerly provide fresh mercy for us every morning, every single morning.

Lord, help me to be more aware of Your goodness in the morning.  Help me to choose to slow down, pull up a chair and take in the full portion that You have so generously set aside for me.  Help me to overcome what ever is preventing me and distracting me from savoring this morning mercy.

Lord, for my dear and precious readers, may they take in their portion of fresh morning mercy that You have for them.  May they savor its sweetness and may it give them the strength that they need to make it through the day.  

Thank You, in the merciful name of Jesus, amen.