The God who renews me

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we first begun. John Newton

 

Read Isaiah 40:25—31

Am I betrayed by a hint of sameness as I come to my devotional time tonight? It is more than a passing question because this relationship with God is meant to be personally renewing. If the merest hint of sameness, staleness or boredom characterises my relationship with God, if I ever head off to church, for example, or come to the quiet time with a sly voice muttering, ‘same old, same old’ in my spirit, that triggers a warning. For I am to spend all eternity with the Lord. That would be a terrible prospect if boredom set in. Yet the signs are good. For one thing, God’s forgiveness means the future is opened to me daily. I’m never living out of a spoiled past. For another, the Triune God lives in loving relationship, and every living relationship looks forward adventurously to the next chapter. Again, Jesus said, ‘To those who have will more be given, and that in abundance.’ And anyway, my daily walk with God: hasn’t it been the highlight of the day?

 

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, how can life with you not renew me? For you are new every morning. I have never woken to a dreary day. If I have felt that, it has been something stale in myself, and I have need to repent before you. My whole being has been given because you would not contain your love within yourself. So the days that I can count are days for growing within your love, being creative in your creativity. And the days I will never be able to keep count of, the days of the Day of the Lord, I can only look forward to beyond my expectation.