A couple of songs from the album Best of Fernando Ortega, Live in St. Paul are among my most-listened-to over the past few years. I listen on Spotify and sort of cherry-pick the ones I like, so I don’t really know the rest of the songs that well.  This month, I’ve played the full album on repeat while doing other things and discovered a new favorite, Take Heart, My Friends. What a great song; I love the chorus, which says: "Take heart, my friend, the Lord is with us as He has been all the days of our lives. Our assurance every morning, our defender in the night."

Just the right song at the right time for me and an unexpected grace; I find myself sort of humming and singing little pieces of it through the day. It has reminded me of one of my favorite things about belonging to Jesus. It’s a truth that appears all through the Bible, but I like how it's said in Lamentations 3:21-25 the best:

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

The Lord is good and He loves us. His steadfast love never ceases, His faithfulness is great, His mercies never come to an end and are new every morning.

His mercies are new every morning.

New every morning for those who are young and/or "still new to this." New every morning for those who are older and a little worn down. New every morning for the devout and also for the failing. New every morning... for you. In both bright days and dark nights, the steadfast love and tender mercies of the Lord can be new or new again. Potentially.

New every morning. For you and me. Potentially!

What do I need to do with my Bible to access that goodness, that personal good gift from God today?  What do I need to do in prayer, in my stewardships and relationships, in my following of Jesus, in my pursuit of His mission to access it? What fuel can I throw into the furnace of my heart, mind, and affections to access it?

Will I? If I won’t or haven’t, why won’t I? Could I? Could I again?

Because man… in addition to the above about the kind mercies of the Lord, Jesus is worthy and is with me. The Holy Spirit is powerful and is with me, too. What an opportunity I have today! What an opportunity you have today, too.

For each of us, there are “other songs” from the Lord that we may not know or know as well, just waiting for us. Go find them. Give them a listen. His mercies are new and can be new to you this morning and every morning.

Potentially.

PS -  Here are the lyrics to that song I’ve been listening to - so encouraging! Maybe you’ll find them encouraging too.

Take Heart, My Friends
Take heart, my friend, we'll go together
This uncertain road that lies ahead
Our faithful God has always gone before us
And He will lead the way once again 

Take heart, my friend, we can walk together
And if our burdens become too great
We can hold up and help one other
In God's love and God's grace 

Take heart my friend, the Lord is with us
As He has been all the days of our lives
Our assurance every morning
Our defender in the night 

If we should falter when trouble surrounds us
When the wind and the waves are wild and high
We will look away to Him who ruled the waters
Who spoke His peace into the angry tide 

He is our comfort, our sustainer
He is our help in time of need
When we wander, He is our Shepherd
He who watches over us never sleeps 

Take heart my friend the Lord is with us
As He has been all the days of our lives
Our assurance every morning
Our defender in the night