Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Thursday!  All is well here at 811. Funny from school today.  I passed a little boy in the hall today. I remembered that yesterday he had been in a lot of trouble so I asked him if he was having a better day today.  I asked, “Have you been behaving today?” His response was, “I been havein’ all day.” I did not think I would ever stop laughing and I still break out into a fit of giggles when I think about it. I told my principal the story and her response was, “He needs to ‘have’ all day!”  More laughter!

God, help me understand your compassion and mercy. Help me see others as you see them, and turn my thoughts and actions into forgiveness.. Thank you for giving me the desire to serve you. I praise you for giving me the ability to do whatever you call me to do.  Thank you for forgiving me my sins through faith in Jesus. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

“Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God.” Is one of the pieces I sang with the Rush Creek Choir last night for Ashe Wednesday service.  The text is from Psalm 51.  This is the psalm I can say by heart when I am steeped in my own sinful nature and I have kept God at a distance because of some unresolved conflict in my life. I think I have finally stopped praying for people to change and have begun to pray for me to change the way I think and feel about someone who has hurt me.  Forgiving someone who has wronged me brings me to a deeper understanding of the character of God and how to see others as God sees them. I have received forgiveness and mercy from the compassion and tenderness of God. How could I not forgive someone else when I have received such grace.  When we come to God we come with a heart in need of forgiveness and making the choice to walk the road of repentance. For me forgiveness without repentance is cheap grace.  Forgiveness is the foundation of our relationship with God. When we let go of our grudges, bitternesses, hurts done by others and wrong choices we have made, we are restored to God instantly and the inner peace we seek returns.  The good news for all of us is that there is not one of us who is beyond the forgiveness of God.  I would encourage each of you to forgive and ask for forgiveness and experience the wonder of God’s mercy.

“Look on my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins.”

Psalm 25: 18

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51: 10

Take joy in this Lenten journey. Ask for forgiveness. Forgive someone else and be filled with joy. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene