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Grateful for Sunrises

Read: Lamentations 3:19-27

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (v. 24)

I love the beauty of the sunrise. As the first piercing bursts of color in the morning sky break the dawn, I am reminded of God’s providence for yet another day.

The book of Lamentations is aptly named for the poetic lament offered by Jeremiah. After years of prophetic warning to Jewish kings of varying character and loyalty, Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Jerusalem and cried out in mourning. He’s not shy about expressing his physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil.

Then, in the midst of his extreme lament, Jeremiah offered daily encouragement. In verses 22-23, he proclaimed, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

With each sunrise comes the promise of more life for us and new opportunities to know God better. Are you in a season of lament right now, either because of choices you made or because of something that happened to you? Are you mourning circumstances that have led to destruction and despair? No matter our state of being, we can hold tight to God’s promises that are real each new day, in every sunrise and in the very breath in our lungs. We have the opportunity, just like Jeremiah did, to proclaim God’s enduring love, to be grateful for his grace, and to choose to walk more closely with him through every day he gives us. Great is his faithfulness!

As you pray, thank God for giving you life today and for his never-ending love.

About the Author

Joy Petroelje serves as the grants manager for a faith-based international nonprofit organization. Aside from work, she enjoys family time, coffee or dinner with friends, writing, reading, and running.

This entry is part 8 of 15 in the series A Guide to Gratitude
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