Thoughts for the Day

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.....

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Many of the clergy and readers in the churches around me suffer from a problem that seems impossible to remove.Before you get carried away imagining what this is, let me say, it's the orange rust-like stains that occur on white or cream robes, worn in church. They are not rust stains, and neither the strongest bleach, hottest water, or any other cleaning product known to woman (well, to me, at least), will remove them. I have even tried to hide them by using tippex, which does work quite well. These stains appear to be caused by some kind of bacteria, perhaps accelerated by the damp in some of our old churches. What I do know is that I cannot afford to replace my beautiful Alb, made for me and given to me when I left Worcester cathedral.

Psalm 51 speaks of our sin as being like a dreadful stain upon our souls, that we cannot wash out. No matter how hard we try we cannot remove the stain caused by all the things we do, say, think, or even don't do! The psalm asks God to wash us clean. As Christians we believe that because Jesus died for us, taking our punishment upon himself, we can ask Him to forgive us. Our sins are washed away, and we can then start afresh.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You were tempted in the wilderness
but were without sin.
You understand how hard it is to avoid temptation:
to love those we find difficult;
to stop being critical of others;
to have patience with our family and friends;
and to live the life You want us to live.
We ask You
to wash away the stains of sin upon us this day,
and in Your mercy forgive us when we fail.
Amen.