Three events for today

          It's Monday morning, our least favorite time of the week. Are you rejoicing in the Lord or just barely awake? Three of the many things that scripture says happen daily will help us get started on the week.

1. Surely this first one is not so familiar to you that you've lost the enormous significance of it! What if this weren't true? But thank God it is! “. . .The Lord's . . . compassions fail not. They are new every morning. . . . Lamentations 3:22-23 And don't forget the context in which those words were written: it was after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Their capital city was lying in ruins and the lament opens with these words, “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow [or widower] has she become. . . .” 1:1 In the midst of that devastation “The Lord's . . . compassions fail not. They are new every morning. . . Great is thy faithfulness.” So look for God's compassion for you today; it should be readily apparent. (If you don't see it, ask me and I'll give you some examples!)

2. You're tired. You're old. You're afflicted. And, sadly, you might even be discouraged! So what is God going to do about it today? We're told very clearly of that situation in 2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” God's compassions are new every morning so every day He “renews” us in our spirit and strengthens us and gives us cause for rejoicing in Him. Read the Psalms this morning and you can't help but rejoice.

3. And the third thing He does for us daily is to give us our daily tasks and ministries to other people so that our lives are always significant as we serve Him. And “you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58 And at least one of the tasks He gives us we are told to do “daily.” “But encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.” Heb. 3:13 NIV Most people need some cheerfulness and encouragement—so there's your task for today. “A cheerful heart is good medicine. . . .” Proverbs 17:22

Yesterday my daughter sent me a new song (new to me) that fits this devotional. It's sung to a beautiful folk melody which you can listen to on YouTube.

Awake, awake to love and work!
The lark is in the sky;
The fields are wet with diamond dew;
The worlds awake to cry
Their blessings on the Lord of life,
As He goes meekly by.

Come, let thy voice be one with theirs,
Shout with their shout of praise;
See how the giant sun soars up,
Great lord of years and days!
So let the love of Jesus come
And set thy soul ablaze.

To give and give, and give again,
What God hath given thee;
To spend thyself nor count the cost;
To serve right gloriously
The God who gave all worlds that are,
And all that are to be.