I have not had a good night sleep for 5 nights now. Sickness and allergies are the reasons. I am a bit miffed. Well, actually, I am mad that the pollen count is so high you can see the green sheen on my car that is sitting inside of the garage most of the time. I am angry because I am tired from not sleeping, coughing and the list goes on...As a result of it, I mean since I am already awake this early in the morning, I opened the window shades which is our entire back wall of the house to watch the sun rise. Then I see that the trees are getting their new coats of beautifully green leaves. The birds are flying all over the little lake our house sits on. Even the Palm trees seem to be standing straiter with their hair on the top of them. I know the flowers in the front of our house and the neighbors have been blooming beautifully. How can I be so mad at them for my allergies? They are all such beautiful creations of God Himself. Mind you, I did not even plant any of them let alone create them - as God had created us.
In our scripture reading for today, we learned that God showers compassion upon us over and over and over again, even after we have messed up our lives many times. Our sins are forgiven and we are made anew by God every time we confess our sins and promise to repent. When we fall He picks us up, when we sit in the dark He brings us out into the light.
God's love and compassion for us is far grater than our ability to sin. His faithfulness endures forever. We are born sinners but in grace are cleansed and redeemed repeatedly because we have a God who is like no one else. We are His own creation, His children, the sinners of His own redeeming. Thanks be to God for such love and power to forgive our sins.
"Gracious God, thank you for being our God. There is no one like you. Your love and your forgiveness give us hope for the future. We thank you for your compassion that surrounds us at all times even when we are not aware of it. Bring us to be faithful to you. Teach us how to love you each day of our lives. Help us to see you light when we have gone into the darkness of temptations.
Give us your mercy when we sinned. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen."
Micah 7:8-9, 18-20
Penitence and Trust in God
8 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me.
9 I must bear the indignation of the Lord,
because I have sinned against him,
until he takes my side
and executes judgement for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
I shall see his vindication.
when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me.
9 I must bear the indignation of the Lord,
because I have sinned against him,
until he takes my side
and executes judgement for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
I shall see his vindication.
God’s Compassion and Steadfast Love
18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity
and passing over the transgression
of the remnant of your possession?
He does not retain his anger for ever,
because he delights in showing clemency.
19 He will again have compassion upon us;
he will tread our iniquities under foot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and unswerving loyalty to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our ancestors
from the days of old.
and passing over the transgression
of the remnant of your possession?
He does not retain his anger for ever,
because he delights in showing clemency.
19 He will again have compassion upon us;
he will tread our iniquities under foot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and unswerving loyalty to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our ancestors
from the days of old.
Also: Psalm 121; Romans 3:21-31
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