For the past couple of months, a friend in Brazil has been sending me a WhatsApp message with a devotional meme, GIF, or short video every morning. Yesterday’s is in the header and reads “Good Morning. Have a beautiful day protected and blessed by God.” Yesterday’s was fairly typical – some of the messages include a Bible verse, some an encouraging thought, and some are particular to the day – the September 22 message welcomed spring which, of course, has just begun in the Southern Hemisphere.
I have checked, and my friend has missed sending me a message only 3 days since the beginning of August. Okay, a few of the messages have been a bit saccharine for my taste, but I love them all. I love knowing that sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 every morning I will be greeted by a reminder of God’s faithfulness – and a reminder of a wonderful friendship (along with a chance to keep my Portuguese current).
It is easy to begin the day with the same worry that was on our minds when we went to bed. Too often my first thought of the day is more anxious than faithful, too distracted by the ugliness of our current cultural moment than focused on the beauty of Christ.
Even that Snoopy meme was a reminder of the goodness of our God. “May God give you a day full of smiles and blessings. Good morning.”
Lamentations is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. The lament is unceasing until the end of the third chapter when the prophet suddenly reminds himself (and us), “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)
I am so thankful for my Brazilian friend who sends a WhatsApp message every day. I am even more thankful to our God whose steadfast love never ceases, whose mercies never come to an end. Indeed, they are new every morning.