“The steadfast, love of the LORD, never ceases. The Lord’s mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23a)

Watching the sunrise over Austin, Texas I was reminded of those words from the Old Testament book of Lamentations. This book of poetry was written to “lament” the destruction of Jerusalem around 586 BCE. It’s words, though, are timeless.

I first read those words not in seminary, nor in Sunday school, but on a small wooden plaque that hung in the bathroom of our first manse. I do not know how we got the plaque, but every morning I would see those words as I got ready for the day. They were a constant reminder that no matter what happened yesterday, today was a new day. It may be that from years of those few words unconsciously simmering in my brain that I developed a mantra that has carried me through many difficult and challenging moments. “Remember: Tomorrow, Today will be a memory.” The corollary is “Make it a good one!”

I’ve often broken that little mantra down to an hour of difficulty or even a minute that cannot otherwise pass soon enough. I guess that it is my variation of taking life “one day at a time, one moment at a time.” We can both get through and just about do anything if we break it down into smaller bits.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases…the Lord’s mercies never come to an end…they are new each and every morning.