Morning Musings

It’s 5:19 AM. I’ve just sat down with my coffee, Bible and laptop and my plan is to put the finishing touches on my sermon for tomorrow at Wetmore. The snow is falling and it looks like we’ve already had at least two inches. I am concerned about the drive tomorrow, especially through Hardscrabble pass. Two years ago, I had to miss preaching at Wetmore because of the road conditions and hopefully that won’t be the case tomorrow. I’m serving communion! That is part of the reason for this posting. I woke up around 2:00 this morning and began thinking about my life and that led to thinking about my sin. All the stupid things I have done went parading across my mind and served to torment me once again – even though I have confessed these to my Lord and received His forgiveness on more than one occasion.

David says in Psalm 51:

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Thy compassion 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 Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done what is evil in Thy sight, So that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, And blameless when Thou dost judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice. Hide Thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners will be converted to Thee. (NAS)

Then I was reminded of the promise! The promise of 1 John 1:9, that God is faithful! What a contrast! God is faithful even though I usually am not. He is faithful to forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Praise be to God! I began to thank Him for the promises of His word which, if I were not able to trust in, there would surely be no hope. And I am thankful for hope…

We are now in the advent season and the wonderful message is that of hope. This is the basis of my message tomorrow. Zacharias and Elizabeth (Luke 1), knew about hope. They had reason to despair. No child…barren womb…old age. Yet the Bible says they walked blamelessly in the sight of the Lord, keeping all His commandments and regulations. In communion, we have hope as well. God imparts His grace to us…His forgiveness and we can delight in the fellowship of Christ, Whose blood washes away all of our sin. Amen!