Devotional 3-19-12

Psalm 51:1-12

¹Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
²Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
³For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
⁴Against 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.
⁵Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
⁷Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
¹⁰Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

In the 21^stcentury lexicon you cannot go a day without hearing about sustainability.

In terms of businesses, concerns with the environment, and finances this is a crucial point to understand and practice.

In this reading the Psalmist seeks the ultimate answer to the eternal riddle of the sustainability of our spirits and souls.

The Psalmist begins with a very candid view of where his own flaws and weaknesses have left him. That is the obvious and easy part. It is the remedy he seeks that would make this plan challenging. The key thing is that the psalmist recognizes and appreciates the payout.

In our 21^stcentury with all the “hoohah and falldurah” that occurs in our daily lives, we need to discover a sustainability plan for ourselves in our own quest for joy and a willing spirit.
The Psalmist’s plea is a wonderful template for us to start with in this Lenten season.

Mike Bowen