Lamentations 3:22-24
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.
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.’
Another holiday season is over. We have taken down the trees with the ornaments that took much time to hang. The wreaths, snowmen and angels are in their boxes for another long wait. The pies, cookies and candies have been eaten. The football games have been played, won, or lost. The cards, wrapping paper, and boxes have been recycled. The kids and grandkids are back in school. The holiday season is over, and we are settling in for another long winter season.
But while the holidays are over, we do have one thing that never ceases or comes to an end. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. God’s covenant with God’s people never ceases and never comes to an end. We might enjoy the end of the Christmas music on the radio station, but we will never have a time when the steadfast love of God stops loving and creating. We might struggle with the sadness of an end to the joyous season, but we will never have a time when the mercies of God cease. The holidays may fade from view, but the good news of the Gospel is that the Grace of God never fades, cease, or stops.
But the Gospel is not just that God never ceases, but also that they are new every morning. We have a portion for each day that is refreshed daily. Steadfast love for today. Mercy for today. Another chance to be faithful to God. Another opportunity to act as a covenant community. While we might enjoy the forgiveness of yesterday and last year, we also enjoy the portion for today and 2023. Love and mercy for today and this year, fresh for this day and fresh for every day to come. Daily bread and daily forgiveness but also daily calling, daily mission, daily prayer, daily service, and daily faith. God’s grace is new every morning, and so must our faithful response be new every day.
Perhaps this response is what is written, ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ We can live this day with today’s portion granted by God. Fresh and new is what God gives us for today, but do we responsibly use that portion to hope and live in God for today? What about our attitudes, do we have hope and joy, the portion of God, or cynicism and despair? What about our thoughts, do we think on love and righteousness, the portion of God, or selfishness and self-absorption? What about our actions, do we act in truth and justice, the portion of God, or are we consumed by inaction and wrongdoing? What about our re-actions, do we respond with grace and blessing, the portion of God, or do we respond to others with hate and suspicion, knee-jerk reactions? We are graciously given a fresh portion of God every day, to what end and in what responsibility do we use them?
My friends, as we begin a new year and new day, the Gospel reminds us that while the holidays and all the special traditions they convey are over, God is never over, never ceases and never runs out. That love and mercy is fresh every day with a fresh portion of Grace. But the Gospel also challenges us that we can respond to what is given to us daily, by daily giving faithfulness and obedience to God. What will you do today with what God gives you today? What will you do with 2023? Great is your faithfulness, O God; by your Word and Spirit, may our faithfulness be just as great. Amen.
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