Today, God invites us to live each moment as if we belonged to God. God invites us to take each breath as a gift and to give up the foolish notion that our salvation lies within ourselves.

Today God extends his hand out to you, to extricate you from your entanglements with other people, and your webs of deceit at work.

Our little secret sins, our white lies, the little ways we cheat at work, the hatred we harbor toward a colleague, the words we muttered under a breath are sins that make us like barren trees. Like waves in a pond our sinfulness ripples out beyond the people we think we have harmed to our community, to our workplace and reach up to offend God. Our sins deserve harsh consequences. And yet Jesus offers us a hope and healing!

Divine mercy and unfailing love breaks forth in abundance in the midst of our sins, and the sinfulness of the people we live and work with.

Divine mercy and unfailing love breaks forth in abundance in the midst of sinful world of betrayal, violence, mistrust and brokenness.

Jesus out of his great mercy and unfailing love offers to blot our sins!

Jesus out of his great mercy and unfailing love offers to wash away all our sins!

Jesus out of his great mercy and unfailing love speaks rejoices over us, speaking words of joy and gladness if we will listen!

Jesus out of his great mercy and unfailing love can create a pure heart in us. Jesus does not offer temporary balms and cheap crutches, but the rooting out of all our sins.

Jesus out of his great mercy and unfailing love, the creator of all things, offers to create in us a steadfast spirit.

Today God offers you a completely fresh start, to make you into a new creation!

Today God longs to transform the dust of your broken heart into a pure heart so that you can live abundantly.

Today God longs to take the ashes of your life and restore them into a glorious tree bearing fruit in its season.

Today God offers to touch your lips, to release your tongue, and to open your mouth that you might declare his praises. Let your praises for God’s abundant mercy and unfailing love ripple like waves in a pond out spreading joy and hope out to the people in your community and workplace, and reach up like a sweet fragrant offering to glorify God!

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!  (It is Well With My Soul)

Do you think you have committed too great a sin for God to forget it? Do you think you have waited too long to ask for His pardon? Read this psalm to God as your own prayer. Experience God’s forgiving grace as David did.

 

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

(Psalm 51)