New Mercies

-- Like a painter's palette holding orange and gold and purple . . . the glory of a new day comes in vivid color. Painted by the Artist's imagination, a one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-seen-again masterpiece. The day, only just begun, stretches out, as yet unlived, untouched. Birthed in radiant beauty, it holds fresh promise bathed in new mercies.

" . . . His mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:23 NLT

If the tiny new beginning of a new morning brings God's new mercies, what do you suppose the dawn of not only a new year, but a new decade must bring? Where the year ahead is all a big unknown to us, He is already well-acquainted with every moment of it. He has a limitless supply of Himself with which to meet our every moment's need . . . with new mercies. So I wrote Saturday night in anticipation of my Sunday publishing day.

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Sunday morning: Well, just as I was writing about being able to rely on God's merciful presence in the new year, this morning is already giving me "opportunity" to draw on those new mercies. Sometime during the night, my computer decided to break down--a jolting thing for someone who uses and relies on her computer as much as I do. I'm sure you can relate to my heart-dropping feeling when I got up early to write, only to find that my computer's power switch would. not. respond. Thankfully, My Tony's laptop is pinch-hitting. My temptation is to be frustrated at the inconvenience, worried about what it will cost to fix, upset about the difficulties this presents and let down that my hopes for a wonderful Sunday, and a wonderful year of Sundays in 2010 are already being challenged . . . BUT . . . NEW MERCIES! Right at the point where I am writing of my hope and joy in entering a new year, the enemy would like nothing better than to derail me before I can hit "Publish." As tempting as it is to give in to my natural inclinations, I am reminded of something Martin Luther said,

"If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

I have a choice--today, and every day of 2010, I suspect--to be a steady soldier on my own battlefield and live out my faith and loyalty, or to flinch at that "little" point where the attack is coming, and face the disgrace of living beneath my privilege. With "new mercies" every morning, I have no reason to fail to rely on them--they are there for me exactly when I need them. I need them this morning, and I choose to draw on their unfailing provision. God is here, and with or without my computer, I can praise Him and live victoriously above the fray, rejoicing in the grandeur of the dawn of a new year, a new decade, fresh with promise, bathed in new mercies.

Where do you want to learn to rely on His mercies being new every morning? How can I pray for you?