“Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
I say: The Lord is my portion,
Therefore I will put my hope in Him.”Lamentations 3:22 – 24 (HCSB)
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Advent season, the start of the liturgical calendar—i.e., the church year—and the beginning of all things Christmas. The word “advent” nowadays has connotations of preparation, waiting, and anticipation. However, at its core, the word simply means arrival or beginning. For those who worship in liturgical settings, Advent is, in fact, the start of a new church year. It is a time of reset, a time to reawaken and to begin anew.
For some, the start of a new year is exciting and joyous. They are ready to celebrate what came before and are filled with a joyful anticipation of what it to come. For others, a new year looks to be a repeat of the past season of grief and hurt. They are walking through the pain of loss, feeling regret, or experiencing weariness in their very soul.
Thankfully, a new year comes with the above reminder from the writer of Lamentations: God’s mercies are new every morning. They never come to an end. What good news! Whatever has passed, God has mercy for us. Whatever will come, God’s mercy will be there again. The mercy meets us in our joy and our sorrow, bringing healing for our hurts, comfort for our tears, and renewed strength for our spirit.
As we encounter God in this season of Advent, let us be reminded of the mercy incarnate in Jesus as He came as a baby. The mercy that moved Him to live, die, and rise again so we might be restored to relationship with God. Then, let us also be reminded to look ahead to Jesus’ second coming, wherein His mercy will restore all of creation to Himself. The coming mercy that will result in a new heaven and a new earth, where all sorrows, tears, and pain are wiped away in the full presence of God.
This is the Gospel message come alive in the Advent season: an invitation to begin anew with God. The old has passed away, and the new has come. We have new life, new mercies, and new beginnings available to us each and every day because of Jesus’ work on earth. And we have the hope of the fulfillment of that newness when Jesus returns in glory.
My prayer for us all this Advent season is three-fold. First, that we would encounter God and mercy anew, through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Second, that we would experience the next step in our walk of faith and the transformation that comes as a result of those encounters. Third, that we would share the wonder and mercy of God that we have experienced with those around us. Come, Lord Jesus, awaken us to the new life. Amen.
PS: If you are able, please consider sending a year-end gift to help us finish the year in a strong financial position. We are grateful for the support, both prayerful and financial, that you all continue to provide. Blessings!
