Lent Daily Devotion

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Day 28 of Lent
Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2008

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 51

   

To think about:

When I read Psalm 51 it reminds me that, no matter what our past actions or thoughts, all we need to do is go to God in earnest prayer and we are forgiven. We can go to God through prayer in times when we need comfort, healing, courage or hope, as well as in times of praise and thanksgiving. In this fast-paced world today we need to spend more, not less, time in prayer. The book of Psalms is full of just such prayers that can help us through times of doubt, pain, uncertainty and fear, as well as helping us to truly show our thanks and praise.

   

To pray:

Heavenly Father, be with us as we go about our daily lives. Make us ever mindful of the needs of others and of our need to serve you. Let us feel your presence in our lives as we pray for the needs of family, friends and the world, and let us feel your love in our hearts as we come to you in prayers of thanksgiving. Amen.

   

Ms. Sharlene Robinson
First Lutheran Church, Ellicott City, Md. www.firstlutheranec.org
Delaware-Maryland Synod


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Scripture citations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.