Malosa Secondary School Chapel, Malawi

God can choose to be “melodramatic” he can also work patiently with those who will not accept him readily.  God does judge sin, but face it – If God wiped out all those who sin, this would be an empty planet.

God judges sin, he changes hearts, and in the biggest surprise of all, He took the punishment for sin.

In this season of lengthening days, that we call Lent, let us search our hearts.

I especially like psalm 139:19 to the end: verse 19 starts with us saying: God get those bad guys.  Then we get to verse 23 – “Oh my God, search MY heart” and we finish up asking God to lead us in the everlasting way.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? 22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:19 – 24. NIV)

May God bless you this Lenten season.

A man I know is offended
at the term
‘miserable offenders’;
hates the references to sin
in the liturgy.

Yet how does he plan
to move through
God’s bright, searing purity
and touch his love?

Sin of omission
and sins of commission –
not that any one of us
is any more or any less
despicable than any other.

– just that God is pure,
and we are not –
this is universal.
God is good.
We sin.

We need to examine this,
putting our sin before him,
and be healed.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we
have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  (1 John 2:1 NIV)

Against You

Not in self-flagellation, but
Why return, time and again
To paths that lead to pain?
Why persist in not even
Aiming at the mark?
The desires of the heart
Are divided, at best,
Only in part seeking good;
At worst ignoring,
Not even caring to ignore
What is right
In your sight.
I examine myself.
In my inmost being,
I claim to cherish truth,
But hope not to have to act on it.

JM February 23, 2012

I love the Lent Prose (above) that the choir sang this evening at our Ash Wednesday service.