As one year closes and another begins, we stand at the threshold between past and future. The calendar may reset, but God's faithfulness remains constant—His mercies do not expire with December 31st, nor do they wait for January 1st to begin. Every sunrise, whether it marks a new year or simply a new day, carries fresh evidence of divine compassion. The prophet Jeremiah penned these words while sitting in the ruins of Jerusalem, surrounded by devastation and loss. Yet even amid judgment and exile, he recognized that God's mercies had not run out. If we were judged according to what we deserve, none would survive. But mercy triumphs over judgment, and compassion flows freely from the throne of grace.

The transition from one year to the next invites reflection on both failure and faithfulness. We look back and see our stumbles, our broken resolutions, our moments of doubt and disobedience. Yet we also see God's hand sustaining us through every trial, His patience enduring our weaknesses, His grace covering our sins. The old year may have brought disappointment, but it also brought divine provision. As we prepare to step into the unknown of a new year, we do so not with anxious uncertainty but with confident trust—the same God who brought us through the past will carry us into the future. His faithfulness is not measured in twelve-month increments but stretches from everlasting to everlasting.

This week we explore the unchanging character of God as we move from year's end to new beginning. We will see that His love remains steadfast when everything else shifts, His plans for us are good despite the obstacles we face, and nothing can separate us from the hope we have in Christ. Each day's lesson builds upon this foundation: that the God who was faithful yesterday will be faithful tomorrow, and His mercies truly are new every morning. Whether the new year brings joy or sorrow, success or struggle, we can face it with peace, knowing that great is His faithfulness.

"As we near the close of another year, let us review the mercies of God. Let us recall the evidences of His love and care." (Ellen G. White, Our High Calling, p. 21)

Prayer: Faithful God, as we stand between the old and the new, we thank You that Your mercies never fail. Help us to release the past into Your keeping and to step forward with faith, trusting that Your compassions are new every morning. Teach us to live each day in gratitude for Your unchanging love. Amen.