I love Lamentations 3:22-23: “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (nas). God’s mercy is truly an unfathomable wonder. Often we have a difficult time wrapping our minds around the scope of God’s grace, but it is true—His mercy is new every morning! Every day is a new day. God is willing to forgive
and offer us another chance every single day.
One of the most exciting developments of our day is GPS (global positioning satellite) technology. These amazing GPS devices have the capacity to navigate someone, with audible instructions, from wherever they are in the world to within a few feet of anywhere else on the globe they desire to be. One of the wonderful things about GPS devices is that they are full of grace and mercy. If the driver misses a turn, the GPS doesn’t begin to scream, “You stupid idiot. I told you to turn. You missed it! That’s it. Find your own way home. I quit!” It simply says in a calm voice, “Recalculating,” and then begins to plot another course that will correct the mistake. I did hear of one person who, after having missed a turn, heard his GPS say, “Go straight ahead three hundred twenty-four miles and then turn right.” Those kinds of instructions from a GPS are rare, but even if the driver had followed that unusual command, eventually the GPS would have gotten that person back to the place where he wanted to go.
When we miss a turn in our negligence, ignorance, presumption, or rebellion, if we will stop, acknowledge our sin, ask for forgiveness, repent, and receive God’s grace for a fresh start, we will hear the gentle and gracious voice of the Good Shepherd saying to our hearts, “Recalculating.” He will then assign a new course that will get us back on track. It may take extra time and effort. It may be long and painful. It may even require that we “continue straight ahead three hundred twenty-four miles” before the next turn. But that turnaround will come if we keep following Him. God is a master at turning mourning into dancing and creating beauty from ashes.
