At my own local church, we are preparing in our Sunday School class for the "Season of Lent". I am giving time and effort to preparation for this time of year as it begins on February 22nd, better known as "Ash Wednesday".
There are a number of things to look at in regards to this Lenten Season including numerous scriptures. Psalm 51:10-16 is one passage that has strength and direction for those who enter this season.
Psalm 51 is a popular Davidic psalm that was written in result to David going after Bathsheba while she was still married to Uriah. Uriah was faithful and true to King David, yet David not only went after his wife, but laid plans to have Uriah killed in battle so he (David) could have Bathsheba for himself.
Needless to say, David had not only committed a serious crime by such action, but his relationship with God been severed..and he was left desolate.
Psalm 51 in it's identity with us has a similar theme. We may not have had a "Uriah" killed in our life, or perhaps we haven't committed the sin of adultery. It doesn't matter...we are just like David, we have sin in our life and our only way of being made right with God is through true forgiveness...and that being for us through the acceptance of Christ Jesus taking our place on the Cross and dying for our sins...that is what Psalm 51 is all about...depending on God's mercy in our lives....we can never in our own selves make things right with God.....
The Lent Season begins with this acknowledgement: we are sinners needing God's Amazing Grace through Jesus Christ: "Amazing Grace,...how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...".
Gleanings from Psalm 51:10-16
" Create in me a clean heart (a heart that only You are able to create new and clean), a pure heart O God; a heart that entertains pure thoughts that are acceptable to You. For if You grant this my King, then faithfulness can step forward in my life....because You have made it so.
What I never want to happen...to even imagine O God...ever!...is to hear these words pass through Your lips:" Cast him from My Presence", or to hear the word "Banish" when my name is brought up in Your midst.
For I know if a living nightmare such as that were to happen, then Your Precious Holy Spirit would have to leave me as well. To hear You speak to the Spirit to "Pull back"....it would be the very " Sentence of Death" to my own heart and life.
Instead, I cry for mercy my King, and lay my pleadings at Your feet. Here then is my request I make to You....Restore me with the joy of knowing I am Yours....allow me to return from the Exile I am guilty of, and be with You once more. Cause Your joy to swell up within me, for there I find my strength to obey You...even obedience is dependant on You!
I recognize sin in my life and the chaos that it has caused and completely surrounds me..even now. Yet I know You are All-Powerful, and can shape a "Genesis Week" from all the void and emptiness I live in. I throw myself before You, Mighty King, have mercy on me and grant me strength and clear direction to uphold Your Ways in life.
For then I can turn my attention to helping others, rebels like myself, who are searching for their home in You....I can be of strength and support...helping them to go in the right way.
For I know I am guilty and subject to death for the evil I have done, and my only hope is to seek after Your mercy, to receive Your forgiveness for the terrible wrong(s) I have done.
If You find mercy on me from these heartfelt requests, my heart will be filled with Your strength and able to sing Your songs of justice and of forgiveness.
Then, my King my own lips will be set free...by You, and my mouth as well, will be opened and able sing your high praises...all of this because of You and Your ability to forgive!
What sacrifice can I do that would have the power to wipe my slate clean. Whether I am able to give You a "flawless performance" on living my life; or if I simply "go through the motions" in my life and honor you with sacrifices,...here lies the heart of the matter: not knowing whether You still love me...that is what gives me life. Nothing else really matters.
All I know is this O Mighty King; it is not offerings or sacrifices that You really want from me, what moves Your heart is seeing me with my pride shattered and my heart dependant totally on You... these things never escape Your notice.
Lord, my hope...my trust....is in You!"
"In the Beginning of Lent there is an initial thought, the first being that in Lent one realizes his life can only be..what He made for him....."
There are a number of things to look at in regards to this Lenten Season including numerous scriptures. Psalm 51:10-16 is one passage that has strength and direction for those who enter this season.
Psalm 51 is a popular Davidic psalm that was written in result to David going after Bathsheba while she was still married to Uriah. Uriah was faithful and true to King David, yet David not only went after his wife, but laid plans to have Uriah killed in battle so he (David) could have Bathsheba for himself.
Needless to say, David had not only committed a serious crime by such action, but his relationship with God been severed..and he was left desolate.
Psalm 51 in it's identity with us has a similar theme. We may not have had a "Uriah" killed in our life, or perhaps we haven't committed the sin of adultery. It doesn't matter...we are just like David, we have sin in our life and our only way of being made right with God is through true forgiveness...and that being for us through the acceptance of Christ Jesus taking our place on the Cross and dying for our sins...that is what Psalm 51 is all about...depending on God's mercy in our lives....we can never in our own selves make things right with God.....
The Lent Season begins with this acknowledgement: we are sinners needing God's Amazing Grace through Jesus Christ: "Amazing Grace,...how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...".
Gleanings from Psalm 51:10-16
" Create in me a clean heart (a heart that only You are able to create new and clean), a pure heart O God; a heart that entertains pure thoughts that are acceptable to You. For if You grant this my King, then faithfulness can step forward in my life....because You have made it so.
What I never want to happen...to even imagine O God...ever!...is to hear these words pass through Your lips:" Cast him from My Presence", or to hear the word "Banish" when my name is brought up in Your midst.
For I know if a living nightmare such as that were to happen, then Your Precious Holy Spirit would have to leave me as well. To hear You speak to the Spirit to "Pull back"....it would be the very " Sentence of Death" to my own heart and life.
Instead, I cry for mercy my King, and lay my pleadings at Your feet. Here then is my request I make to You....Restore me with the joy of knowing I am Yours....allow me to return from the Exile I am guilty of, and be with You once more. Cause Your joy to swell up within me, for there I find my strength to obey You...even obedience is dependant on You!
I recognize sin in my life and the chaos that it has caused and completely surrounds me..even now. Yet I know You are All-Powerful, and can shape a "Genesis Week" from all the void and emptiness I live in. I throw myself before You, Mighty King, have mercy on me and grant me strength and clear direction to uphold Your Ways in life.
For then I can turn my attention to helping others, rebels like myself, who are searching for their home in You....I can be of strength and support...helping them to go in the right way.
For I know I am guilty and subject to death for the evil I have done, and my only hope is to seek after Your mercy, to receive Your forgiveness for the terrible wrong(s) I have done.
If You find mercy on me from these heartfelt requests, my heart will be filled with Your strength and able to sing Your songs of justice and of forgiveness.
Then, my King my own lips will be set free...by You, and my mouth as well, will be opened and able sing your high praises...all of this because of You and Your ability to forgive!
What sacrifice can I do that would have the power to wipe my slate clean. Whether I am able to give You a "flawless performance" on living my life; or if I simply "go through the motions" in my life and honor you with sacrifices,...here lies the heart of the matter: not knowing whether You still love me...that is what gives me life. Nothing else really matters.
All I know is this O Mighty King; it is not offerings or sacrifices that You really want from me, what moves Your heart is seeing me with my pride shattered and my heart dependant totally on You... these things never escape Your notice.
Lord, my hope...my trust....is in You!"
"In the Beginning of Lent there is an initial thought, the first being that in Lent one realizes his life can only be..what He made for him....."
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