Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
I read once that there are three attributes of God that complement each other but are also distinct: justice, grace, and mercy. I’ve chosen the latter to be represented in this painting (spoiler alert, paintings about God’s justice and grace are planned for later on this year).
Putting it plainly, the difference between them is that justice is when you get what you deserve and grace is when you get what you don’t deserve. And mercy? Oh, mercy is when you don’t get what you deserve. I’m quick to be grateful for God’s justice (especially when it’s applied to others, when they wrong me, right?), and I’m forever grateful for the grace of my salvation, which I certainly don’t deserve. But how can I wrap my mind around his mercy? Mercy is our being delivered from the justice that we rightfully deserve. I’m sure that it’s only by his mercy that I’m here today.
When Jeremiah wrote those words, he was in deep anguish because Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. God had warned the Israelites countless times, he sent so many prophets with his word, asking for them to repent and return to him, to no avail. Justice was then served, the land was devastated. It seemed like the end. However, Jeremiah knew that even though all he could see was devastation, even though his feelings were of sadness and discouragement, he could bring to his mind a reason for hope. His faith and all his previous experiences with the Lord and his grace would tell him about the continuous renewal of God’s mercy. Did they deserve it? No. But it wasn’t about what they had or had not done, it was about this attribute of God that is new every morning. Jeremiah renewed his hope in the Lord because he knew that his mercy would be shown once again. He kept his hope in the one who has great faithfulness.
Every morning I like to peek outside my window and see the sunrise on a new day. They remind me how creative God is, there’s always something new to see, like a gift wrapped in sun rays and clouds, or rain or snow! But they also remind me that I can put my hope in him because with every new day, in every new morning, His mercies are renewed and I can count on his love again and again, even when if don’t deserve it. This is not an excuse to justify my poor ways but it’s certainly an encouragement to start my day right.
Have a wonderful week!