The morning glory is, as its name suggests, at its loveliest in the morning. It greets the rising sun by fully opening and showing its colorful, trumpet-like blossoms. The morning glory is a beautiful flower for a location that can be seen each morning. When we see it we catch its eagerness for the beginning of a new day.
The open, eager morning glory is a good image for the hope in the new day expressed in Lamentations 3:21-24, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.” The writer of these words knows the meaning of suffering and disappointment, but still the promises of God are more powerful. We, too, know suffering and disappointment. We may have been deeply wounded by the loss of a job or loved one. Or on a different level, it simply may be the loss of sleep or the weight of a busy schedule that prevents us from greeting a new day with hope.
Today and every day, call to mind the mercies of God, opening yourself to remember both the great and small blessings. Since God has been faithful in the past, God will surely be faithful in the future. This is the good news for this day!
This message is based on a devotion, “Morning,” written by Jeanette B. Strandjord that appeared in Programs, Retreats and Devotions 2 published by Women of the ELCA in 1996.