DEVOTION – DAY 434

Lamentations 3:22-23 “God’s Love Is New Every Morning”

Lamentations 3:22-23 “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.”

The Bible tells us that God’s love is unfailing. God’s love is eternal, it is everlasting. Thus, the writer of Lamentations used the words “great love” in the plural form to emphasize that God’s love is manifold. It is love that is prepared to reach out and pluck us out of our bondage to sin. It is a love that caused the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to redeem us all from judgment for our own sins. It is a love that results in our sins being removed from us as far as the east is from the west. That is why God’s judgment upon us is averted and we are not consumed. God’s compassions never fail and are new every morning.  

Gladys Aylward came from a poor family in England. She answered God’s call to be a missionary. She even used her own life’s savings to travel to China on the Trans-Siberian railway which was a dangerous thing to do for a lone woman. On arrival in Yangcheng, China, she helped another woman missionary to manage The Inn of Eight Happiness. They provided shelter to travelers and they shared the gospel about Jesus to the travelers. Soon, she took in orphans and even adopted several herself. In 1938, when the Japanese soldiers invaded their area, she led more than 100 orphans to safety over the mountains, caring for them and converting many to Christianity. She remained in China doing missionary work until 1949 when it became too dangerous for her to remain. She returned to England but her heart was always for China. She wanted to return to China but the Chinese government rejected her application to return. So, she settled in Taiwan instead in 1958, where she started an orphanage. She worked there till she died in 1970. The love she had for China and its people mirrored God’s love for His people. It was a selfless and deep love. It was a sacrificial love and it was new every morning. Gladys was faithful to her calling to be a missionary, just as God is faithful to her throughout her ministry and service for Him. 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithfulness and great love for us. They are new every morning. It is your love that sees us through each day – no matter the circumstances because it is your presence in our lives that matters most to us. Help us to walk closely with you always. We humbly pray in the lovely name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. How has God’s love and presence in your life helped you through a recent crisis? Share.
  2. Why do people sometimes turn their backs on God’s love and choose to trust in power, money or possessions as their source of help? Discuss.
  3. When people turn to power, money and possessions as their source of help and not God, why is it foolish? Discuss.
  4. Why is God’s love and faithfulness new every morning to you? Share.