New, Every Morning

With Chinese New Year (CNY) soon approaching, just two days away, wishes of "Xin Nian Kuai Le" or "Happy New Year" have already been making the rounds.  Making her way to the check-out counter this morning after some last-minute grocery-shopping at the supermarket before it closes its doors for a couple of days in lieu of the CNY holidays, the Swallow could not help hearing a conversation between the cashier and a customer...

Customer : Aiyah, so crowded, so hard to move around.  Jostling here and there.
Cashier : Never mind, auntie, the new year is coming.  Start the year happy.
Customer (taken aback for a short while) : Yes, that's true.  Must start the year happy.

Most people want to begin a new year with happiness.  For the Chinese, it is a tradition to start the year off with new things.  New clothes.  New shoes.  New bedsheets.  In some extremes, even new homes!  New things do bring a measure of happiness to one's life.  However, how long does this newness last?  How long will the happiness last?  Within a few minutes, new can become old.  All it takes is a stain upon the new clothes, shoes or bedsheets and they are no longer new.

As with any first day of a new year, young and old are filled with fresh resolutions.  To do better in their studies, work or business.  To exercise more in order to stay healthy (some weight loss would be even better).  To spend more time with the family.  Yet how many of these resolutions have already been discarded, or not followed through?  How many of them are truly fresh resolutions?  If one looks back through the resolutions made in past years, most are actually 'recycled'.

Ecclesiastes 1 : 9 - 11 (NKJV)
That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
"See, this is new"?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
There is no rememberance of former things,
Nor will there be any rememberance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.

The feeling of happiness is fleeting.  One may be happy today, but tomorrow may bring with it sorrow and pain.  Yet it is commonly said that unless one has known sorrow, he will never understand what true happiness is.  The feeling of newness is also fleeting.  There is nothing new under the sun.  Every few decades, fashion apparently reinvents itself, yet it brings traces and memories of fashions past.

So why do people go around wishing others "Happy New Year"?  The Swallow believes that in these people, there is a longing in them to see past the sorrow and pain around them, to see into a brighter future, to hope in a better tomorrow.

Is there such a way?  To be able to see past the sorrow and pain?  Is there a brighter future?  Will there be a better tomorrow?

Yes, there is!  This is the Swallow's testimony...when one looks to the only source of true happiness - the Lord God Himself - then there is always something new, every morning...

NEW, EVERY MORNING (author unknown)

New, every morning, it's new
The love of God to me is wonderfully new
New, every morning, it's new
The mercy of the Lord is wonderfully new
Great is His faithfulness
Constant is His love
Great is His saving power
Coming from above (Hallelujah!).

New, every morning, it's new
The love of Calvary is wonderfully new
New, every morning it's new
The mercy fresh outpoured is wonderfully new
He is our daily Strength
He's our daily Guide
If we will wait on Him
And in Him abide (Hallelujah!)

New, every morning, it's new
The love of God to me is wonderfully new
New, every morning, it's new
The mercy of the Lord is wonderfully new!

Lamentations 3 : 23 - 25 (NKJV)
Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not,
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I hope in Him!"
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.

True happiness is real joy, and that can only be found in the One who made the heavens and the earth.

How can happiness last? How can there be freshness to each day, a newness to the things done each day/ When the Swallow looks at her Creator, the Lord God who showers her with love and mercy each day, her happiness is no longer fleeting, her joy is real, her days are always new...