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Thursday, February 23, 2012 |
Lent begins a season of repentance.
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1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgement.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
-Psalm 51: 1-5
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Lent begins a season of repentance. For the next 40
days (not counting Sundays) we are to consider our
relationship with God and the ways in which that
relationship has become frayed. And make no mistake,
it has become frayed. Psalm 51, which will be the
sermon text for this evening, is an amazing psalm
and it begins with a thorough accounting before God
of the psalmist's (traditionally held to be King
David) transgressions. He knows he has blown it and
he spends the rest of the psalm asking God for help
and transformation.
When we consider our own relationship with God we
are in no better shape. We have spent much of the
last year lazily going about the business of faith;
shoving God aside, ignoring His commands, forsaking
his call. And it is time to sort things out. How
many times have you prayed in earnest? How many
times have you been in worship? How many times have
you read anything from Scripture? How many times
have you worked to make the life of another better?
How many times have you selfishly poured another
drink or rebooted your computer? How many times have
you failed to wonder at the majesty and splendor of
God? You see the problem. Today is Ash Wednesday and
Easter comes in a few short weeks. Let us now
prepare our hearts and our lives to receive, once
more, the good news of the risen Lord.
Prayer: Holy God, I have failed you. My sin is
before me, I see it everyday. I have lived in
separation from you and those who love me and I have
selfishly sought to please only myself. Please help
me, O Lord. Please change my heart. I pray in the
name of Jesus. Amen.
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