“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Another translation, the NLT, says it this way –

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Mercy, new every morning! That’s something that I deeply desire and desperately need every day – mercy, forgiveness, a do-over, aka – a second chance. That’s why this truth from God’s word is so comforting and encouraging to me simultaneously. It reminds me that my Heavenly Father does give me multiple second chances every day – ie. “His mercies begin afresh each morning.”

This wonderful truth sets me free from regrets and resignation that otherwise would hold me hostage indefinitely. BUT – the mercy of my Heavenly Father rescues me from paralyzing despair over my failures, replaces my despair with hope – the hope that only His forgiveness, wiping my slate clean once again, can give me. Today, I am thankful once again for God’s daily mercies, which never run out. I am reassured by this truth from His word –

“If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4)

When I am most acutely aware of my failures and ready to give up on myself, I remember these words of King David and am reminded that my Heavenly Father does not ever give up on me (or on you either, dear readers) –

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:10-14)

Those words are all about God’s forgiveness and God’s second chances. Those words of truth are just the comfort and the encouragement that I need in order to have hope. God “removing my transgressions from me” enables me to keep going for another day. My load is so much lighter when my Heavenly Father’s mercy removes the weight of all my sin. My Heavenly Father’s forgiveness has given me the clean slate, the second chance, the do-over that I so desire for today. I will trust that, like the manna in the desert, God’s mercy will “be new again tomorrow morning” when I will without a doubt, desperately need it once again. After all, I have this assurance from God’s word –

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

With God, every day is a “do-over day” for me, because His mercies are new every morning, giving me a clean slate and all the second chances that I will undoubtedly need as the day progresses. My Heavenly Father’s forgiveness always outweighs my sinfulness. He gives me as many second chances as I ask of Him. His word says so!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

This truth assures me that God does indeed give me as many “do-overs” as I need – and I generally need quite a lot! Second chances are one of God’s many very good gifts. I am grateful to be one of the many recipients of “His mercies new every morning.” It is God’s mercy that makes unlimited “do-overs” available to me and to you every day.

I don’t know about you, but I will gladly take Him up on His generous offer. What God’s forgiveness does for me and for you is nothing short of miraculous. It is a miracle described by these words –

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ” (Isaiah 1:18)

now that’s a do-over!

sincerely, Grace Day