Eleventh Avenue Church
The following is reprinted with permission of The Timely Messenger

A Beautiful Beginning

By Charles Wages

 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." - (Lam. 3:23-24)

All things began and begin with God. Each new day and each new year shows forth God's love and compassion! A companion portion of God's Word gives a beautiful portrait of our Lord and His character.

"And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain." - (2 Sam. 23:4)

No writer could ever compose, nor artist could ever paint anything to compare with these words in God's Word.

As our world begins a new year, and as we individually begin the year, let's begin with thinking of our Lord who loves us so much. In thinking of the beauty and purity of the Lord, we can begin afresh our lives for Him today.

First of all, those who are unsaved and have made a miserable mess of their lives can have a new beginning. Instead of waking up to a morning of misery because of a life wasted in sin, they can awake to a bright "morning without clouds." They can awake with the Lord as Saviour and face the new life with Him as their companion and guide. What an awakening! The Bible tells us how this can be possible. We read in Ephesians 5:14, "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepeth, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light."

Also, we are told in Romans 13:12, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."

And then in verse 14, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof."

It is a wonderful experience to awake each morning knowing of safety, soundness, and salvation in the Lord of the morning.

It is true that in every new morning of beginning, there is a "renewal of hope." It can be a time of reflection upon the mercies of God, therefore a morning of mercy. We are instructed by the writer of Lamentations, (3:21), "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope."

He recalled how miserable he was apart from the Lord and said, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the worm wood and the gall." - (Lam. 3:18-19)

But, seeing God's morning mercies he was able to say, "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." - (Lam. 3:26)

There is nothing like a fresh start to renew hope. God offers this to all His children. If our lives seem to be faltering and failing, we can find renewed faith as a new day and a new year approaches. When we see the sun rise, we can see the Son's mercy and compassion!

As we approach this morning of a new beginning, we can, with expectation, look for growth. Remember this new morning is described as "a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain!" This gentle moisture, this clear shining sun makes for healthy growth. Every new beginning brings us closer to what the Lord desires for our life. Sometimes the growth seems slow but is sure and steadfast if we look to the Lord for strength and guidance. As the flowers turn their faces to the sun, we need to look toward God for help and strength.

A new morning of beginning not only reminds us to remember, but also to forget! The apostle Paul, under inspiration, wrote, "Forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." -(Phil. 3:13-14)

Of course, these verses speak of great doctrinal truths, however, the principle of a new beginning is evident. To the newly saved one, the ways and failures of the old life can be buried in the past. The new morning can hold out new hopes, and new desires to go along with the new life in Christ.

Let's all face a new beautiful morning, looking squarely to the Sun of Righteousness and enjoy and utilize every opportunity afforded us.

May "the Lord of the morning" bless your lives as you yield to our Lord Jesus Christ.


January 2001 Edition Contents
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