14 March 2015 - demistified

LORD, bring us back to you.

Our piety is like the morning cloud. It is thin and superficial. It is the sort of piety that exists to be seen. We go to the temple and thank you about how much better we are than everyone else. We have piety because we think it is some sort of competitive advantage. Sure we fast and we tithe. We do it because we want the boost to our self-image. We don't act greedy, or dishonestly or commit adultery. But we avoid these things in spite of ourselves. We avoid them more out of a motivation to not be seen a certain way than from a motivation to actually be a certain way. Our motives are never entirely selfless. 

Instead of focusing on ourselves, "Let us know, let us strive to know" you Jesus.

Let us return to you LORD. You strike us because you want to bind up these wounds of pride. You blow the morning clouds of our superficiality away so that you can heal who we are underneath. This is frightening, of course, exposing who we really are.  It is true that you strike us but only insofar as we are in union with you. You do not deal arbitrary punishment so that we avoid evil based on behavioral conditioning. You strike us when you yourself are stricken for us, crushed for our iniquities, but in three days your resurrection will give us life. You endure this wound in order that your obedience and unquenchable life can be our bridge and latter to the Father and his kingdom.

Let us return to you, LORD. You blow away the morning cloud of our piety but your coming is as sure as the dawn. The morning cloud is blown away but only to give way to your judgments, which shine forth like the light of day.

You teach us to ask you for mercy. We are sinners and need your mercy. But we do not ask out of fear so much as a desire for the blessings that your mercy brings. We ask because we want to be close to you and sin keeps us trapped in ourselves.

‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;

If we exalt ourselves we become an exalted prison of selfishness. If we humble ourselves we open our hearts to the joy of seeing you exalted on high.

This is the sacrifice you want, LORD. When we offer you our hearts like this you are finally able to give us the blessings you long to pour out.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;