It's a Good Morning!

The Bible

Psalm 139:3
"YOU see me when I travel and when I rest at home. YOU know everything I do."

Psalm 139: 9-10
"If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there YOUR hand will guide me, and YOUR strength will support me."

GOD is faithful. It is such a comfort and encouragement to read verses like these while I am far from home. I don't just know that HE is near me from reading the Bible, though. Through taking care of me, providing for me, blessing me with an abundance of friends and people who love me here, HE continually shows me day by day that HE is right by my side every step of the way. GOD is awesome, guys! I hope these verses are an encouragement to you too. No matter where you are or what you are going through, GOD is right there by your side. Here's another one:

Lamentations 3:23
"Great is HIS faithfulness; HIS mercies begin afresh every morning."

Now, the fact that this verse comes up in a book of the Bible called Lamentations is amazing to me. The whole book of Lamentations is about the Israelites lamenting that they are being punished, and yet a whole section of chapter 3 is all about how they know that GOD is still faithful too them. GOD's promises never fail, and we know that HE is faithful to us too, in every situation whether joyful or grief-filled. I love that part of the verse where it says that HIS mercies are new each morning. Isn't that great to know that when you wake up in the morning, HE is right there to get you started on a fresh new day? In the Bible study I am doing from Beth Moore, she made a point a few weeks ago that stuck with me: The Israelites were given manna (bread from heaven) each morning, but they had to go out and gather it right away or it would disappear when the sun rose. In this same way, we are given mercy from GOD each morning, but we must go out and gather it up. We must take hold of the mercy HE gives us instead of trying to make it on our own. I have to remind myself this, and I even wrote in my Bible next to Lamentations 3:23: I must gather what GOD provides; it is partially my responsibility. Don't lay in self-pity! Gather HIS mercy!

If you are waking up right now to start your new day, this is for you! GOD bless your new, mercy-filled day :)