Twice in seven verses the psalmist’s plea to God is, “Wash me.” Isn’t this, indeed, what forgiveness feels like? I think about a long, warm shower after a run in the bitter winter cold. I remember splashing with delighted kids in wading pools on hot summer days, or scrubbing dirt...
God of mercy, I stand before you, naked in all my imperfection. You know my smallness and the ways I hide and hurt. Wash me clean. Gently offer me the relief, renewal, and new life that comes with your forgiveness and love. Amen.
We can maintain outward appearances for only so long. At some point what is in our hearts will come to the surface. God understands this, of course, which is the reason for the promise in Jeremiah. God promises a day when God’s law will no longer be an external standard that we are trying to follow but will be written on our hearts. In the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba, David cries out in Psalm 51 for God’s forgiveness and a new heart. The New Testament readings begin to focus our minds toward the end of Jesus’ life. God’s transformative work comes at a cost to God through the death of his Son, who suffered in obedience but through his death was glorified.
Read Jeremiah 31:31-34. What are the covenant relationships in your life? How do you fulfill your part of the covenant with God?
Read Psalm 51:1-12. What are the things that clutter your heart, limiting your availability to fully love?
Read Hebrews 5:5-10. When have you offered your prayers “with loud cries and tears” as Jesus did? How does knowing Jesus’ vulnerability impact your life of faith?
Read John 12:20-33. How does this example of the grain of wheat help you to understand Jesus’ crucifixion and death?
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