A New Box of Crayons – By Denise Kelso Loock

Posted by on Dec 29, 2014 | 6 comments

A New Box of Crayons – By Denise Kelso Loock

My guest for today is Denise Kelso Loock. I think you’ll appreciate what she has to say about greeting the New Year!

A New Box of Crayons*

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new.”   Revelation 19:5

Not many experiences gave me more pleasure as a child than opening a new box of crayons. The kaleidoscope of colors, the uniformity of the rows, the perfect points, the waxy smell—I savored that sensory explosion of delight for several minutes before I removed the first crayon. Somehow, nothing I created with the crayons ever matched the magic of opening the new box.

 

I think of that experience every time I read Lamentations 3:22-23. Jeremiah said, “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.”

 

Surprisingly, Jeremiah wrote these confident words during the destruction of Jerusalem. In Lamentations 3 he described the affliction God had allowed in graphic phrases: He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains. Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer. He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked” (v. 7-8).

 

Jeremiah felt ill-used and discarded—like a broken crayon, its point worn down to the ripped paper casing. But instead of plummeting into Open Your Hymnal Againdespair, he shifted his gaze to heaven and grabbed hold of hope. Why? Jeremiah counted on God’s ability to make all things new. He believed that God would restore Jerusalem, redeem His people, and fulfill every promise He had made.

 

The Hebrew word translated “compassions” in verse 22 signified the intimate bond between a parent and child—including love, pity, grace, and blessing. No matter how dismal life looked, Jeremiah’s confidence in God remained firm.

 

God has given us that same promise. Every morning we wake up with a brand new crayon box of God’s compassions. He bids us to open it, use it, and share it with others. If some crayons break or the paper casings tear, that’s okay. Tomorrow you will receive a brand new box. Great is His faithfulness.

 

*A longer version of this devotion appears in Open Your Hymnal Again, published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Used by permission.

 

About the author:

Denise Loock 2Denise Kelso Loock is a former English teacher, Bible teacher, speaker, writer, and editor. Her work has appeared in a variety of well-known devotional publications. She is the founder and writer at http://digdeeperdevotions.com/.

A collection of Denise’s devotions, Open Your Hymnal: Devotions That Harmonize Scripture With Song, was released by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas in 2010. To read more about the book or to order it, click here.  A second volume of hymn devotions, Open Your Hymnal Again, was released June 2012. To read more about it, click here:Open Your Hymnal Again.

Denise taught a weekly women’s Bible study at the Montgomery Evangelical Free Church in Belle Mead, NJ, for 15 years. Over the last 5 years, she developed and taught her own Bible study curriculum: The Life of Joseph, The Life of Moses, and The Life of Joshua, and the books of 1 SamuelOpen Your Hymnal and 2 Samuel. Denise is currently teaching a Bible Study on Ruth at  Long’s Chapel, in Waynesville, NC.

Denise is an associate editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She also accepts freelance editing projects. http://lighthousepublishingofthecarolinas.com/. She is also a staff writer and editor for a monthly online and print publication, The Journey C

She lives in Western North Carolina with her husband and their cat, Ginger. Son Jeff is a student at UNC Wilmington; daughter Kelsey is a student at Western Carolina University.

6 Comments

  1. I really enjoyed this post – thanks be to God that His mercies are new every morning and we can start afresh with a new box of crayolas. I have just gotten Open Your Hymnal on my Kindle. I am a church pianist and love the hymns so I m looking to spending some time with these devotionals.

  2. So glad you enjoyed it, Ann! Thanks for the comment! I hope you’ll come back again.

  3. What a wonderful devotional. I love the way God’s grace, mercy and compassion is new everyday! This is the hope so many of us long for in this life!

    • I agree, Kathy! Denise’s way with words is a real blessing!

  4. Denise is such a special sister in Christ. I love her wisdom and insight. And I LOVE a new box of crayons! That brought back sweet childhood memories. Thanks for sharing Denise with us today 🙂

    • You are very welcome! She is a treat and I cant’ wait to meet her!

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