Thursday 23 February 2023

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Today is Thursday the 23rd of February, in the season of Lent.

Paul Zach sings, ‘Create In Me’. Can you make these words your own today?

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

Against you only I have sinned

Done evil in your sight

But you have shown me what I've done

With mercy in your eyes

Then washed my shame and guilt away

My weary soul renewed

From all my sinning turn your face

Let me return to you

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

So I will give you what you ask

A humbled broken heart

A spirit burning down to ash

Within your flame, o God

And this will be your mercy lord

Transforming all of me

Til every act and every word

Your love and glory speaks

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

Create in me a clean heart, o Lord

Have mercy on me according to your endless love

Have mercy on me according to your endless love

Have mercy on me according to your endless love

Have mercy on me according to your endless love

According to your endless love

Today’s reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy.

Deut 30:15-20

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

We are now stepping onto our long Lenten journey path, and the Church offers us this reading, from the time when Israel was camped on the east side of the River Jordan, in their own journey, preparing to enter the Promised Land. Moses is addressing them about how they are to behave when they get there.

Moses says, “I have set before you life and death”. What will you choose today? How will you go about making your choice?

“If your heart turns away and you do not hear”. Have you ever felt tempted to this sort of deafness? How do you cope with it?

Now listen as the passage is read to you once more, and see what strikes you most.

Finally, bring together all the thoughts that have come to you during this time of prayer, and see if you can turn them into a prayer to God.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours.

Do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

Amen.