A new year has begun and I am struck by the idea of new-ness.  “New” can bring on so many different emotions.

“New” can bring on a sense of joy. A new car may sparkle and shine in the driveway, and you might relish in that scent of fresh and clean upholstery or leather. A new outfit may bring on a renewed sense of confidence. A new gadget or toy may bring on hours of entertainment and fun. A new relationship may offer excitement and hope for the future.

“New” can bring on a sense anxiety. A new job may have responsibilities or expectations that are unfamiliar. A new city or culture may have rhythms and customs that you are ignorant of. A new year may bring unexpected challenges that have never been faced.

Whatever emotion is elicited, the thing about “new” is that it fades. Dirt gets tracked into the new car. The new outfit becomes one more thing hanging in your closet. Gadgets and toys become replaced by the next best latest and greatest. Jobs that were unfamiliar become commonplace, and cities and cultures that once were strange become a part of everyday life.

New, at some point or another, eventually loses its “newness” in most aspects of our lives.

With God, however, things don’t fade or become ordinary. God’s love and compassion are “new” every single day. “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

God’s love for us does not get stained or dirty; God’s compassion does not weaken or diminish over time. Every morning God’s faithfulness is fresh and new. In this new year I hope to rest in the assurance of God’s renewing love, grace, and mercy. In this new year I hope to seek to keep a sense of “newness” and awe of our God.