Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 ESV
This week’s Monday School passage is part of a Psalm of David. He penned the Psalm after he was confronted by Nathan about Bathsheba.
What better words to express a broken heart over it’s own sin. It’s God who makes our hearts clean and renews a right spirit within. And it’s God who can restore to us the joy of His salvation.
This is my daily and constant prayer within the 40 plus days of Lent. I know only a little more about Lent than I did last year. My Lenten journey was a sweet time of reflection and re-centering and so I began again on Ash Wednesday, which was the same day as Valentine’s Day this year.
The purpose of my observation of Lent is to slow down, seek, reflect, and prepare. I’m committed to leave plenty of open spaces on my calendar so I can slow down and move at soul-speed but I will also reduce my smart phone and laptop use. Unintentionally, I’ve started to believe I’m more important than I am. Missed calls, unread emails, and notifications from my blog or social media accounts scream for my attention. Shazam praises me for the great song find, Runkeeper reminds me it’s time for another run, and Netflix picks shows just for me. First, the dings, buzzes, and red bubble notifications never feel like soul-speed. Second, I’ve become the center of my world and that’s not where I belong.
So on this Lenten journey I ask God to take me back to the beginning.
God take us back, the place we began
The simple pursuit of nothing but you
The innocence of a heart in your hands
God take us back, oh God, take us back
Simple Pursuit by Passion
I will pause Monday School for a while and instead write about my journey back. I’m reading in Mark during this time if you want to join me.
And Mark’s first words are these: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1
Mark has some good news for us.
photo by Joanna Schley
mariegriffith.me 
I love the repentance of David found in Psalm 51. I shared a lesson once from this passage on “How to Pray After You Have Sinned.”
Me too. Beautiful, broken, and loved.
It’s just crazy boldness for the murderous adulterer King David to believe that God not only would forgive him but also restore to him the joy of His salvation. Some might be willing to let God forgive David for what he did but then not let him experience joy and happiness. Fortunately God doesn’t listen to them. Oh what a generous God we have! I guess he must also be willing to grant me some of his joyous forgiveness. I also like verse eight of this Psalm: “Let the bones that you have broken rejoice.”
I do too Kirk. God broke the bones and it is He who will let them rejoice! Oh what grace….beautiful abounding grace.
I think this year’s Lenten Journey is going to another really good one, Marie. Good word from you here …and Good News for sure ! Your phrase, “Unintentionally, I’ve started to believe I’m more important than I am. ” was such a good word to describe what’s really going on when we feel so compelled to answer that “ding” or “buzz” or other social media notification sounds. Such a good word…thanks 😉
Thank you Joy! I’m already enjoying my journey. More of Him, less of me. Love you!