New Every Morning
Dear Friend of The Fellowship,
As Jeremiah surveyed Jerusalem in 587 BCE after the city had been besieged by the
Babylonians, he was overwhelmed by the devastation. Even God’s Holy Temple, the
most sacred place in the world for the Jewish people, had been destroyed for the
second time in its history.
It was an unimaginably sorrowful scene – in fact, the prophet Jeremiah chronicled these
reflections in a book of the Bible aptly titled “Lamentations.” And yet, in the midst of this
somber book, there is a startling and stirring affirmation: “Yet this I call to mind and
therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his
compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).
These words offer a clear reminder: Though the city, built by human hands, had been
destroyed, God’s love persisted, and in fact continued to sustain His people.
Thankfully, the vast majority of us are blessed to live in a time and a place where we will
never have to face a scene like the one the author of Lamentations faced. But there are
always troubles and personal crises that threaten to consume us: health problems, the
loss of someone near and dear, the loss of our livelihood. And, at the beginning of a
new year, it is natural to wonder: What challenges will we face this year, and how will
we face them? What unexpected blessings may come our way, and will we recognize
those blessings?
A new year is a time of both uncertainty and promise. My friends, let us focus today on
that promise, on the blessings that will come our way and the good we can do for
others. As I think of all the people The Fellowship helped last year, my heart is full of
gratitude – and as I think of all the people whose lives will be changed for the better in
2019 because of your generosity, it becomes even fuller.
None of us knows exactly what the new year will bring, but we do know that God’s
compassions never fail; they are “new every morning.” As we enter 2019, let us do so
sure in the knowledge that, whatever we face, God’s great love and faithfulness will be
with us every step of the way.
With prayers for shalom, peace, in 2019,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President and Founder, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews® of Canada
Rabbi’s Commentary Archive