Have mercy on me God,
according to your faithful love!
Wipe away my wrongdoings
according to your great compassion!
Wash me completely clean of my guilt;
purify me from my sin!
Psalm 51: 1-2 (CEB)
You make beautiful things out of the dust…
You make beautiful things out of us.
Gungor, “Beautiful Things”
The forty days of Lent are an exciting time for disciples of Jesus Christ. We anticipate the victory of Easter by entering into our own need for salvation, by reflecting on our own failures, weaknesses, and the harm we’ve done to others.
You might be thinking to yourself “this does not sound exciting.” You are certainly not alone in those thoughts. Going deeper in our discipleship is a process of refining, repenting, renewing… we feel our need for God on a bone-deep, gut-punch level on this journey.
Yet the promises of God and the experience of the saints who have shown us ways of practicing this faith remind us that it is in deeper faith and intentional practice that more of God’s grace can enter into our lives. It is in opening ourselves up to God that more of God’s reign and realm becomes possible through us in the here and now.
If there is anything like an unofficial best Ash Wednesday hymn for the 21st century, it’s probably “Beautiful Things” by Gungor. If you’re attending our Ash Wednesday service this evening at 7:00PM you will hear it in Fellowship Hall; if you aren’t coming or simply can’t wait to hear it, please spend four minutes reflecting on its repeated affirmations.
You make beautiful things out of the dust…
You make beautiful things out of us…
You make me new…
You are making me new…
It’s a simple, holy, and yes, beautiful expression of what God works in our hearts through repentance. Wherever you are (wherever you think you are) in relation to God, this is a time to draw nearer to the Triune God and experience renewal. I will be sharing more of the classic disciplines of Lent in the weeks ahead. Even if you miss a day, don’t get started yet, falter and give up, remember that the story – God’s story, your story – isn’t over. Our failures don’t get to define us anymore.
Because, each and every day, God makes beautiful things out of our dust. Prayers for a holy Lent for each of you.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ben
Rumors of Grace