Thoughts for the Day

I said, 'I will guard my ways
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will keep a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence.'

I was silent and still;
I held my peace to no avail;
my distress grew worse,
my heart became hot within me.
While I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue....

'And now, O Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions.'...
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
do not hold your peace at my tears.'

(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I had a wonderful Aunt, she'd never had a day's schooling in her life, and was brought up largely in Costa Rica. She taught herself about four languages, and worked for the Spanish Consul for some years. She was also a life-long Anglican and sang in the local church choir with those hats that had four corners rather like mortar boards. I remember a day, however, when she complained that preachers always accused their congregation of committing sins. She said "I have never committed a sin in my life!" The naughty bit in me thought "What about the sin of pride?" However, I knew what she meant, she was thinking of sins like murder or theft!

Psalm 39, however, speaks of a small sin that can grow out of control if we're not careful, until even my lovely Aunt might have agreed that it was Sin with a capital S! All of us make judgements about other people and situations. This can be people we know, or it can be about things we watch on television. But a negative thought about someone can all too easily become a negative word that we say to them, and that word can even become a negative action.

Lord, deliver us from all our Sin!

Thursday 18th June, follow up thoughts

Lord God,
we ask for Your forgiveness for
those small transgressions that we hardly notice;
sins that we commit each day.
Help us to get into the habit of repressing negative thoughts
before they become negative words or actions,
so that all our thoughts are positive and loving ones.
Amen.