Seeing the Face of Christ in Ourselves--Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Bible Reading: Psalm 51:1-12                    

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
³For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
⁴Against 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 judgment.
⁵Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
⁶You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

This familiar psalm was written by David after Nathan told him of God’s judgment against him because of his adultery with Bathsheba and his sending her husband, Uriah, into battle to be killed. One can wonder why our faith traditions exalt such a man and others who have clearly fallen short, but it is these exemplars of faith who instruct us in divine grace.  This psalm reminds us of our own sinful nature and the horror we experience when we think we could be cast away from the grace of God and His Spirit because of it.  But it also propels us to faith and hope for redemption through the Holy Spirit and the vision of Christ.  Like David, we seek the joy of salvation which is offered freely through Jesus Christ and will be with us eternally.                                                                            

It has been said that the only thing we contribute to our own salvation is our sinfulness. We can’t save ourselves. We can’t do it on our own. Only God can save us.   In today’s psalm, David is acknowledging his sinfulness and pleading for God’s forgiveness.  This psalm moves us to think about our own sinfulness. We might say, “Well, I haven’t committed adultery and I haven’t killed anybody!” But that’s not really the point, is it? We are sinful, even from the very beginning, as the psalm points out so poetically, “…born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.” We’ve all fallen short both through acts of commission and acts of omission. But, the Good News is that we’re not just left in our state of sin without hope. We know that God does, indeed, forgive us, cleanse us, save us. But, first we must recognize that we are hopeless sinners and need saving. Even after the adultery and murder, David didn’t seem to realize how much he needed forgiveness until Nathan confronted him. Like David, we must recognize that we need saving and then ask. David beseeches God to “..not cast me away from your presence, and …not take your holy spirit from me.” We all need God’s presence in our lives, His Holy Spirit, His saving grace, and He gives it to us freely. Hallelujah! 

Dave and Sharon Johnson

For reflection:

--Think of a time over the past week when you did something, or said something, that was hurtful or destructive.  What was the impact of your behavior?  Did you rationalize your behavior, or regret it later?  What does it feel like, to turn it over to God and seek forgiveness and renewal?

--What does it mean for you to be marked with ashes?

--Take time to reflect: in what ways am I “less than” what God intends me to be?  In what ways is God calling me into a deeper, more faithful relationship...and what should I do to respond?

As you read and reflect on the thoughts for the day, you are also invited to post a comment and join the conversation.  May you see the face of Christ this day.