Boats on the water
Watching the sun rise over the sea, as its golden light gently spreads across the horizon and awakens the boats resting quietly on the water, is a beautiful reminder of the gift of a new day. There is something deeply peaceful about watching the darkness slowly give way to light. We may remember fishermen preparing for another day at sea, the gentle rhythm of the waves, or simply sitting quietly by the shore with someone we love, watching the first rays of sunlight touch the water.
Before the busyness of the day begins, a sunrise seems to whisper a simple message: you have been given another day. Yesterday has passed, and today brings another opportunity to begin again with renewed hope, renewed strength, and renewed trust in God.
Yet, just as the sea has its changing tides, life also has its changing seasons. There are calm waters and there are sudden storms. Some storms may pass quickly, while others seem to remain for a long time. Looking back over my own life, I can remember many storms, some small and some overwhelming. While I was going through them, they were often frightening and difficult to understand. Yet, by God’s grace, each storm eventually passed.
The greatest storm I have faced was when I was diagnosed with what appeared to be terminal liver cancer. At that time, fear and uncertainty filled my heart. Humanly speaking, the situation seemed impossible. Yet many prayer warriors faithfully stood with me in fervent prayer, asking God for His mercy and intervention.
And God answered in a way that I can only describe as His grace and miracle.
What had initially been considered inoperable became operable, allowing the affected portion of my liver to be removed completely. Even more remarkably, when the removed portion was examined, the cancer cells found there were already dead. Looking back, I can only give thanks and glory to God. What seemed to be the darkest chapter of my life became a powerful testimony of His faithfulness.
That experience has changed the way I look at every new morning. I have learned that the sunrise is more than a beautiful sight. It is a quiet reminder that God is still with us, His mercy is still available, and His grace is sufficient for whatever the new day may bring.
There may be mornings when we wake with burdens from yesterday still weighing heavily on our hearts. We may carry regrets, disappointments, unanswered prayers, worries about our loved ones, or uncertainty about what lies ahead. Yet God’s mercy does not run out because yesterday was difficult. His grace is renewed each morning. He gives us the strength we need not necessarily for tomorrow, but for today.
The changing tides also remind us that life is never completely still. There will be seasons when everything seems peaceful and seasons when unexpected waves come crashing into our lives. But the God who is with us in the calm is the same God who remains with us in the storm. He does not abandon us when the waters become rough. Sometimes He calms the storm; sometimes He gives us strength to endure it; and sometimes He carries us safely through it.
One of God’s greatest blessings is not the promise that we will never experience storms, but the assurance that we will never face them alone. He surrounds us with people who pray for us, encourage us, care for us, and stand beside us when our own strength is failing. Looking back, I can see that God’s grace was often expressed through the hands, prayers, words, and presence of others.
Perhaps we should also remember those who may be facing a storm today. Someone among our family, friends, neighbours, or church community may be carrying a burden that we know nothing about. A simple message, a phone call, a visit, a listening ear, or a sincere prayer may become the encouragement they desperately need. We may not be able to remove their storm, but we can remind them that they do not have to walk through it alone.
Every sunrise therefore becomes an invitation not only to receive God’s grace for ourselves, but also to share that grace with others.
As I look at the rising sun, I am reminded of a truth I have come to know deeply: God has been faithful. He was faithful yesterday, He is faithful today, and He will be faithful tomorrow. The storms of life may come and go, but His love remains. The tides may rise and fall, but His promises stand firm.
So, whatever season you may be walking through today, do not lose heart. Look towards the new morning with hope. Give thanks for the grace that has carried you this far. Encourage someone who is weary. Pray for someone who is facing a storm. And trust the God who has brought you through yesterday to hold you securely today and into tomorrow.
He is the Lord who does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
May every sunrise remind us that His mercies are new, His grace is sufficient, and His faithfulness will never fail.
Praise and glory to the Lord. Amen.
Bible Verse:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.
Isaiah 43:2 WEB
Blessings:
God blesses us with fresh mercies each day, unwavering faithfulness for every season, and the assurance that His grace is always enough. He renews our strength, fills our hearts with hope, and gives us new opportunities to experience His love and share it with others.
Reflection Point:
Every sunrise is a quiet invitation to trust God’s new mercies. His grace is never exhausted, and each new day is an opportunity to walk with Him in renewed hope.
Reflection Question:
As you begin this new day, what burden can you place into God’s hands, and who might need to be reminded that His mercies are new every morning?
Action to Consider for this week:
Take time each morning to thank God for bringing you through yesterday’s storms, and encourage someone who may be facing a difficult season. Send a message, make a phone call, offer a listening ear, or pray with them, reminding them that God is faithful and that they do not have to walk through the storm alone.
Hymn for the Reflection
Day by Day
Hymn Writer
Carolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg, better known as Lina Sandell (1832–1903), is often called “the Fanny Crosby of Sweden” because of her remarkable contribution to Christian hymnody. She wrote more than 650 hymns, many of which continue to comfort believers around the world.
Lina grew up in the home of a Lutheran pastor in southern Sweden. As a child, she suffered from illness that kept her confined to bed for long periods. During those difficult years, she developed a deep trust in God and found comfort in reading the Bible and writing poetry.
Her hymns are known for their simplicity, warmth, and unwavering confidence in God’s loving care.
The Story Behind the Hymn
The message of “Day by Day” was deeply shaped by one of the greatest tragedies of Lina Sandell’s life.
When she was twenty-six years old, she was travelling by boat across a Swedish lake with her father, whom she dearly loved. During the journey, her father unexpectedly fell overboard and drowned before her eyes. The sudden loss devastated her.
Rather than allowing grief to destroy her faith, Lina learned to depend more deeply upon God’s daily grace. She discovered that the Lord did not always give strength for a lifetime all at once, but faithfully provided enough strength for each new day.
Years later, she wrote “Day by Day” as a testimony of that quiet confidence.
One of its most treasured lines declares:
“Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here.”
The hymn has comforted countless Christians facing illness, grief, uncertainty, and the ordinary challenges of daily life by reminding them that God’s grace is always sufficient for today.