For Ash Wednesday I am going to use a phrase from a country music song entitled
"On The Other Hand." I plan on saying, 'On the one hand' (then talk about the
presence of human sin) and then say BUT 'On the other hand' (then talk about God's
presence and gifts of gracious love and forgiveness).
God is merciful! God is Gracious! Thank you God for your forgiveness! I Love You!
Antonio
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not
cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me
the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
As a new pastor, I've used that prayer almost daily - it has, for me, become a mantra.
When I have nothing else to hang on to - I hang on to this simple faith. And somehow, that
is enough.
Arkansas Bob
We use part of this psalm in our Sunday liturgy as our offertory (1:10-12). Verse 17
makes that seem a little inappropriate. Verse 15 is part of the liturgy for morning
prayer. Yet it is verse 6 that speaks to me..."You desire truth in the inward
being..." I have been thinking that it many ways Lent is a reality check. Certainly
the ashes bring us up against some cold hard facts. Yet the reality is that God doesn't
want to punish us because of our human limitations, but "desires" truth in our
inward parts, recognition of sin and repentance, the great reversal from self-love to
God-love. God "desires" our transcendence through Christ.
Have you ever spilled dark red wine over a beautiful white lace table cloth? Or come
out of a supermarket and watched a grocery cart slaming into the back of your brand new
car, you have so carefully taken care of? Or said a stupid hurtful remark to someone who
friendship you value deeply? What do we do with those things in our life that we value,
that are stained, maybe beyond repair? "Blot out my transgressions...Create in me a
clean heart...wash me and I shall whiter than snow..." When we sin God looses
something that God values--Us. And we cry out to God--do what you need to do to make it
right. To restore the elegance of a lace table cloth, the high gloss finish of a well
loved car, the endurance of a deep friendship. To bridge the gap between my sin and you
holiness. Some intial thoughts as we approach Ash Wednesday. Sorry that I submitted more
than once. John in PA
I love this passage! Ash Wednesday or anyday! In reading and praying over it this
afternoon, I was drawn to several references that I hadn't really noticed much before (I
focus on the create in me a clean heart, part generally...) but I was struck by all the
references to JOY and PRAISE and SINGING! We generally think of Ash Wed. (and Lent) as a
somber, reflective, serious time... but for me right now, part of my sinfulness is not
remembering the Sabbath, not enjoying (or noticing) the creation , and downright
busy-ness. I think God must be grieved by so many of us who have bought into the culture
idea of busy-ness being equated with success and goodness. And we church folks and pastors
are some of worst, aren't we? We know who to ask to really get something done. But what if
we know that that woman doesn't spend enough time just hanging out with her own
children... or that man doesn't have a chance to visit with his aging parents?? I'm not
meaning to reprimand any of you, just struggling with having been sucked in by the
routines of life, and the chaos .. and not "Let me hear JOY and GLADNESS(8)"...
"RESTORE to me the JOY of your salvation (12)" ... then I will declare your
praise (15). Just some tired thoughts this evening after another long meeting. I figure
that every journey, including the Lenten journey, requires time to pack your bags. I guess
I'm trying to get myself ready to start this journey. Blessings to you all -- RevAmy
v. 10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put
a new and right spirit within me.
So much for getting ourselves ready to receive God,
or "invite him into our/your heart(s)." If God
doesn't prepare the way, the way ain't gonna be
prepared!
Only GOD can create the new person, create the
"right spirit" that enables a new life to be thought
of, let alone pointed to, let alone lived out
occasionally.
v. 1 - Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Notice the psalmist does NOT say, "Forgive me Lord,
because I have confessed my sins." The prayer is
for forgiveness and a renewed relationship based
*exclusively* on the mercy and love of God. The
grace
here is the awareness of the sin and the trust in
the love and mercy of God, not in the ability to
confess rightly or jump through the correct
theological hoops to get God's attention and pity.
Ranting and raving on Ash Wednesday morning...
