22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
With this new year comes most people making resolutions. Resolutions are made to better ones life, whether it be physically, emotionally, or spiritually. As people, we understand that we can always, always improve some facet of our lives, and we use the first of the year as a launch point to make those changes that are “new” to make our lives better. While we strive to make positive changes, we know that God has never changed, He has never needed improvement, and He is eternally as full of mercy and love today as He was last year and as He has eternally been and will eternally be. He loves us, cares for us, and has grace for us as much today as He ever has and as He ever will. His love for us is steadfast, it has no limitations, and it will never cease. Nothing we can ever do will take away the deep love that God has always had for us. Furthermore, we know that His mercies have no end. As long as we return to Him and as long as we strive to live lives of obedience to and desire for God, He will have mercy, and His grace will consume our lives.
As we begin each year, we strive to have newness in our life, this newness leading to improvements and the betterment of our well-being. While this goal is great, a much greater promise is given to us through scripture about how God is for us. God’s love and mercy is constant. It will be in just as much overabundance in the morning as it is at this moment. He loves us just as much now as He did before we became a Christian and at the time we became a Christian. His love is so overwhelming and infinite it is as if it is new every single moment of every single day. As we envision how we will improve this year, we do so with much anticipation and goal setting, striving for bigger and better things in our life. However, all things pale in comparison to the promises and hope that God gives us. Even if the day is cloudy, God’s love and mercy will be new. Even if we are in times of doubt and struggle, His love and mercy will be new. There is not an inhibitor or barrier to his love and mercy, it is new every morning ready and available for us.
It is with this in mind that we say with assurance: “Great is your faithfulness,” for the promise of this daily love and mercy is God exhibiting his faithfulness to us. Then, by our living in faith to Him, we can experience His love and mercy every morning of every day for the rest of our lives.