PSALM 42:8 – By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

THEME OF THE DAY. WHAT GREETS US EACH NEW DAY. Upon reading the theme of today’s nugget, I am sure many of you immediately started thinking, maybe even saying to yourself, the scripture from the Old Testament book of Lamentations – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). And it is so true . . . God greets us each day with new mercies. That means new mercies when we fall to new temptations. That means mercies when we fail to obey Him with zeal and heartfelt affection. That means new mercies when we let the busyness of life keep us from time with Him. Yes, each new day comes with new mercies from our merciful God. And in today’s scripture, we get something else from God each new day – acts of His steadfast love. Think with me on three of those new day acts of His steadfast love.

First, the Lord will display acts of His steadfast love to us this new day by putting us in challenging situations to develop our trust in Him. We are going to have our faith tested today. In some form or fashion, we are going to be face-to-face with something or someone who will try our patience, tempt us to become irritated, and cause us either to sin or run to the grace of God for strength to overcome the circumstance with a God-pleasing attitude. The Psalmist writes, “The Lord tests the righteous . . . “ (Psalm 11:5). Nothing which comes into our lives today by way of testing is by chance. God sent it. It is an act of His steadfast love to build us up in our most holy faith (Jude 20). Don’t grumble, rebel, or even cry out, “God, if You loved me, this would not be happening.” No, it is because He loves you this is happening.

Next, the Lord will display another act of His steadfast love giving us many opportunities, yes many opportunities, to show our love for Him by obeying Him. Unless we are so self-centered and live like an ostrich with our heads in the ground, we are going to come face-to-face with someone who is down, discouraged, hurting, and needs lifting up. That someone may well be living under the same roof. Our God is in the “helping people business” through His Gospel, Word, and Spirit. And He expects, even demands, His people also be in the “helping people business”. There will be someone, maybe, a sad-looking grocery clerk, bank teller, neighbor, a doctor’s secretary, a person serving you through a drive-thru business . . . whoever. Opportunities to obey God to “lift up the downcast, comfort the hurting, encourage the sad” will abound (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Hebrews 10:24-25). God’s love to us is always to be God’s love shared from us.

Finally, the Lord will display His steadfast love to us in a personal way through time in His Word and prayer; if we take the time to seek Him. Dear friends, our God who is love stands ready to reveal Himself to us as our God who is love. And there is nothing more satisfying to the soul than to experience His love. He has made it possible through His Word, His Spirit and prayer. All it takes to realize this act of steadfast love is to make it a priority every day to seek it.

So, as the day unfolds, remember His mercies are new every day and be on watch for displays of His steadfast love which are also new every day.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for new mercies and new displays of Your love every new day You give me.”

QUOTE: “Today is the day the Lord has made and in it, He gives us sustaining grace and love to meet each challenge.”