Thoughts for the Day

Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

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.
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.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me......

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Our beautiful, predominantly albino, dalmation had turned bright orange! We couldn't understand what had happened. We'd been away on holiday leaving her in the care of a young airman on the station. Had she eaten something that had caused the change, or perhaps been accidentally sprayed with something? The answer was even more bizarre. The young man had taken her out onto the now defunct airfield and let her loose, to chase the rabbits. She never caught any as they slipped down their holes under a huge clump of gorse bushes. But ever hopeful she would begin digging and sand would fly into the air. All quite normal except the sand was orange in colour and the young man had tried to remove it with a wet cloth, which just mixed with the oil in her coat and made it worse.

Psalm 51 traces King David's agony of trying to remove his sin because of his adultery with Bathsheba and his killing of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11-12). When Nathan the Prophet comes to him his shame and guilt is overwhelming, and he turns to God in penitence. But begging God for mercy is not enough for the evidence of the sin still remains - the pollution still clings, and he uses words that remind us a stain on a dirty garment that has to be cleaned again. "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" he cries.

Only David's complete confession will be acceptable to blot out his sin, and only God can offer that. For God does not turn away the true penitent. As we reach Day 7 of our 40 days of Lent (not including Sundays) perhaps we can turn to our Heavenly Father and ask Him to blot out our sin!

Oh and 'Oggie doggie' the dalmation? Well we added a little soft soap to her bath, and all was well!

Father-God,
we come before You with humble and sincere hearts.
Forgive us for every sin we have committed
knowingly or unknowingly.
Blot out the stains of our sin,
and create in us pure hearts.
Then renew a steadfast spirit within us,
so that we may walk in the way of holiness,
and please You in our thoughts,
words, and actions.
Amen.