Ash Wednesday

My sacrifice, O God, is  a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:17 NIV)

What I love about television shows is how problems are always quickly resolved.  After all, they only have 30-60 minutes.  Medical shows are  especially entertaining in this aspect... the doctor orders tests... STAT... and in 5 minutes they have test results.  So why is it when I have tests done, even if they "put a rush on it," I have to call back in 10 days?  And then the results are rarely as specific as they are on T.V.

Then there are the crime shows.  Gotta love them!  Throughout the show the suspect denies, denies, denies  until 5 minutes of show to go and they are presented with the evidence.  The detective says to the killer, "You hated your husband and this passerby saw you walk into his office building with a weapon!"  And the suspect suddenly gushes, "Yes! Yes!  I did it!"  Of course we all know of real cases where the evidence was overwhelming and they denied it throughout the trial.  Real life just isn't that neat.

On Ash Wednesday we are challenged with overwhelming evidence of our own guilt.  Most of the year we deny, deny, deny.  We make excuses for our sin.  "Everybody does it."  "It's because of my crappy childhood."  "That surely can't apply today!"  But on Ash Wednesday, God confronts us with our sin... "You are dust and to dust you shall return."  And we confess, "Yes! Yes!  I did it!"

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.    Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.    Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.    My sacrifice, O God, is  a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:3-5, 17 NIV)

 Today is a day of no excuses.  We are who we are and we are a people in need of a gracious and forgiving God.

So get your ashes in church today!  Confess and know the joy of forgiveness.

Father,
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.    Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.    Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.    Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.    My sacrifice, O God, is  a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:7, 10-12, 17 NIV).  Amen.