New Beginnings

By Sarah Hogue

Spring is finally showing its full beauty with flowers peeking up from the ground and trees beginning to bud. The arrival of Spring reminds me how much I love new beginnings! 

I love the beginning of summer, when the school year ends, and a more relaxed schedule commences. I also love the beginning of a new school year, with a new rhythm and routine.  I love the beginning of a new year, with its invitation to restart what has failed and try new routines. I even love Monday mornings, with new goals for the new week!   

But what about spiritual new beginnings? Are there any spiritual moments that re-set and revive the soul? For me, monthly Communion is a moment to thank Jesus for his sacrifice, ask forgiveness, and start with a clean slate.  That fresh start feels great…until I mess up again!   

Fortunately, I don’t need to wait until Communion to have that fresh start, and neither do you!  God promises in Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” 

Every morning. Did you catch that?  We get a new spiritual beginning every day!  How amazing and encouraging is that?  Every morning, we can have a clean slate.  I definitely find encouragement in that, as I tend to mess up every day!  I also think that those verses encourage us not to live in the past.  We all have things that we wish we hadn’t done, but when you live there and keep replaying them over and over in your mind, it doesn’t take full advantage of the promises of God.   

I think of this when I think of the story of Peter.  Peter made a pretty big mistake when he denied Jesus three times.  However, he didn’t let that mistake define him.  Who he is on the other side of the resurrection, when he receives forgiveness, is so far from that scared man in the courtyard that night.  He doesn’t live focused on his past mistakes.  He trusts the mercies of God to forgive him, and he moves forward, boldly living for Christ. 

Trust his mercy, and don’t look back. God’s mercy is fresh. Today is a new day! Welcome to your new beginning!