Mercy

One of the appointed psalms of the day, the 51st, expresses the conviction that the author would be the recipient of God's mercy. That might seem presumptuous, as if the psalmist thought he was deserving of the Lord's favor.  Instead, he is a penitent, confessing his sin, knowing he 'has done evil in your sight.'  Still, he comes to God seeking mercy.  We don't like to think of ourselves as sinner. Today we are taught about self-help and self-actualization, that all that is wrong is 'systemic' or society's doing or, at the least, is somebody else's fault.  While there is no doubt corporate sin, there is also personal sin, that wrongdoing which is our own and which we must acknowledge.

The psalmist did that.  And he knows that having made his confession, having accepted accountability, he my expect mercy from God, the divine judge.  This is one of the powerful truths of our faith and this season of Lent is a time for us to accept the fact.  We each have sinned.  Deal with it.  Don't make excuses.  Own it and come before God, repenting, knowing that the Lord loves each of us, and wants to forgive each of us.

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