This Day in History: 0000-01-09

January 9 – Lamentations 3:22-24 

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” 

The book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah the prophet shortly after the Israelites were taken into captivity by the Babylonians after the fall of Jerusalem.  It is a very melancholy book lamenting the trials Israel had to endure as a result of their decision to turn their back on God, and worship the false gods of the people around them.  In the verses preceding these, Jeremiah cried out to God in his utter misery.  “The thought of my suffering… is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time…”  Yet he was able to find reason to hope when he remembered the boundless mercies of the Lord. He knew who it was he served, and he knew that God would one day give Israel another chance. He was looking forward to the fulfillment of the promise God had made, knowing he could count on the One who made the promise, to follow through.   

What about you?  Do you need a do-over today?  Like the people of Israel, have you turned from God in some way, giving lesser things a spot in your heart that belongs only to Him?  I have good news for you! Our God is a God of second chances.  Each morning when we wake up we have another opportunity to receive His mercy and start the new day right with Him. Let’s confess our mistakes right now, humbling ourselves before the One who’s faithful love never ends!  Let’s accept His mercy, and remember that our inheritance is with Him forever.  Let’s renew our hope in His enduring faithfulness to us, and start our day fresh. With no mistakes in it.