Everyone enjoys fresh stuff. Fresh bread, fresh doughnuts, fresh french fries, fresh fruits and veggies, and most definitely, fresh coffee. Since we started dabbling in farm living, my family and I even get to enjoy the taste of fresh eggs these days, straight from the chicken coop!

Aah…fresh is just better.

But sometimes fresh is hard to come by, is it not? As life goes, things tend to go stale pretty easily. And unfortunately, this can also be true in our relationship with God. Like a bag of chips left open, our fellowship with Him can sometimes lose its texture and flavor.

In Psalm 149:1, the worship leader says:

“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!”

Notice the word new. The original Hebrew word here could also be translated fresh. In other words, we are prompted to sing to the LORD a song that is new and fresh. But does this mean a literal new worship title, or is it figurative for the song of our life that comes from the heart? I would suggest the latter.

I can only speak for myself, but sometimes the song of my life is anything but fresh. While I want so much to keep a crisp quality to my worship of God, it seems that so many things are working against it – fatigue, deadlines, moods, etc. What to do?

Since we can’t just put our faith in a ziplock bag, here a few ideas to help keep it fresh:

1. Reflect on the “freshness” of God’s dealings with you. Like the manna He provided in the Exodus, God’s grace and mercy are still fresh every day (See Lamentations 3:22-23). Look closely and you will find examples of fresh grace in your life.
2. Enjoy a new worship song, or an old one set to a new tune. It is always amazing how a particular song can resonate and encourage us at a particular time. Need a suggestion? Here’s one I’ve been enjoying recently.
3. Give it time. There’s no such thing as rushing into the presence of God. Most would agree that our closest moments of fellowship with Jesus come when we are not hurried. The drive-thru is always open, but why not park and go inside?

Yesterday, I had an amazing time of worship at my church. The presence of God was fresh and powerful. But as good as it was, yesterday’s experience will not sustain me today. Thank God, there’s more where that came from.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.