Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Happy Fat Tuesday!! (I ate chips and salsa at On the Border tonight—maybe I will swear off for Lent!) Yesterday was a waiver day for FWISD, so no students. I spent most of the weekend grading papers and getting them recorded. I was behind in both of those areas and needed some “catch up” time.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Have you ever created a mess? I mean the kind of mess that starts really small and grows because you didn’t clean as you went along. You are reading the words of the “queen.” I have a tendency to make messes and after completion of whatever project I am working on I don’t go back and clean up the mess, but go on to the next project. So finally it gets really bad and I don’t know where to begin to straighten up this mess. By then the thought of tackling the mess is so overwhelming that all I want to do is go to Starbucks, drink some coffee and hope the “maid” will come while I am gone.

God is the champion of helping us clean up our messes, our sins. The first thing we must do is confess our sins before Him. There is nothing we could say that God hasn’t heard before and nothing from which we are not given the gift of grace and forgiveness. After we confess then we must walk the road of repentance. In other words, it is time to wade through the mess and find the top of our desks, dressers, car seats, closets or our hearts and minds. You know the things that clutter our lives; unforgiveness, bitterness, self-pity, past hurts, grudges, lack of self-control, justification and my own personal recurring sin: my mouth. Sometimes the words that come out of my mouth are not very godly.

As most of you know I have my daily devotion as I drive to work. I say the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostle’s Creed and listen to a drive time devotion. But lately I have changed my sequence. I have begun each of my devotion times with confession. I have begun each prayer time with asking God to cleanse me of my sins (those I specifically confess and for those of which I have not confessed). His Word says that He will cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness; all things not of God. I ask God to forgive me and then fill me with His grace as one would fill an empty glass with water. Then I listen to my devotion, say the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and proceed with my prayers until I arrive at school. Changing and having confession first has made a difference.

Asking God to fill my forgiven and freshly cleansed soul allows me to go before Him, as an empty vessel ready to receive His blessings and mission for the day. I am not bound by the clutter and mess at the beginning of the day. I am able to think more clearly and truly confess that “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday; the beginning of the season of Lent. The journey of Lent is supposed to be one of contemplation and preparation for Jesus’ last days on earth, His crucifixion and resurrection. As a preparation to walk this journey we have some choices. Traditionally, people deny themselves something during the season. Some people take on another activity or act of sacrificial service. I think for at least part of my Lenten walk I am going to continue to increase my prayer life through the lens of confession of my sins. If I add something else I will let you know.

Take joy in this Lenten journey. Worship and Imposition of Ashes is at 7:00 am, Noon and 7:00 pm tomorrow at Advent Lutheran Church. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

1 comment:

Al Rearick said...

Another good one, Gaylene! You must've seen my desk at work!

Love,
Al