Psalm 51:1-13
This is one of my favorite Psalms. I love it because I can ask God to create a clean heart in me. I don't have to go through and label all my sins. I don't have to lift them up and take them out again and again like a stain which doesn't go away. God forgives, God has mercy, God can be approached and asked to create in me something new. Renew me, when I am tired, when I am down, when I am unapproachable I know God will always be there.
So often we forget washer woman God. The God who we can approach to make it all come out right once again when we have messed up royally. God loves us, God is merciful to us, God wants to wash us clean, make us whole, and not remember why we have messed up.
It is Lent the time when we lift up our sins to God first. When we say we haven't done it all right all the time and it's ok, God still loves us and redeems us. We put this first in our service. It is what we are to think on and remember. Not that we are sinners, but that God redeems us. First, foremost and always.
How often do we forget this. One story comes to me about a time when I was in South Sudan. The workers for the chapel and all of us were complaining because the clothes weren't getting done. We overlapped two different teams for just a few days and it increased the work the women in the kitchen had to do and they also did our laundry. Everyone was concerned we would leave with no clean clothes.
I decided to help. It was a futile offer. I have never washed clothes with just soap and rubbed them together to make the stains come out. It is strong women's work, as Rutha explained. It is not easy, it looks easy, but believe me it is not. Now in Lui South Sudan it is hospitality to make sure the guests are not doing any work. So when the treasurer, Vasco, came up he was going to rebuke her for her mistake in having me join with the washing. I told him we were doing as Paul instructed, being co-workers in the faith. We laughed so hard that day as I made mistake after mistake and she very patiently showed me how to get the soap going with a good lather in the clothing.
This is just like God. Taking the time to laugh, be serious, show hospitality and tell me even when I mess up we are still working together. Create in me a clean heart, O God, so I can remember to be more free in giving. More free in laughing at my mistakes. More free to learn and take blame, but not to wear it on my clothing as a sign I am forgiven. It is in the strong arms of God we find the love we so need. May we spread it like the laughter of the washer women trying to get it right, but failing and know we are caught in God's wondrous arms.
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