Confessions

Day 115: Psalm 50-55

Psalm 51 is an amazing psalm about repentance and the deep need for God's mercy and forgiveness. Although the story about David having an affair with Bathsheba and then killing her husband Uriah the Hittite to cover it up is quite familiar, his words here in Psalm 51 are not. In this psalm, David confesses his sin to God and pleads for God's forgiveness.

David's state of mind here--his stance towards God--is one that I have felt during my lifetime. I have sinned. I am a sinner, in constant need of God's grace, just like David is here. David asks God to take away his guilt, make him pure, and give him back his joy. I, too, have been in this same place. In anguish over a sin I have committed. Trying desperately to connect with God. Begging for forgiveness. Repenting in my heart and having every intention to change and then doing it again and again and again.

Only after I committed sins that I said I'd never do--you know, those sins that we judge others for and think are worse than others--well, only after committing sins like that did I really know what it was like to feel the wonderful, miraculous grace of Jesus Christ. To be filled with a new spirit and a renewed sense of faith, hope, and calling. God is good, and through our sins, he brings us to a place where we can see his grace--his wonderful, beautiful nature of salvation--at work.

David utters the following words in this chapter, and I leave you with them here:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a Royal spirit within me." 

May God change our hearts and renew our spirits, just like he did with David.

Be thankful

Day 77: I Chronicles 17-21

Thanksgiving will be here in less than three days. This holiday is a special one to Americans, but it’s also special to Christians. This holiday serves as a reminder about many things, and I will list a few of them here: 

1. Thanksgiving represents a time of sharing with those in need. Jesus came to earth and spoke about giving to the poor and providing for the orphans and widows. Jesus wants us to give, and this time of the year represents a perfect time to remind us of the many gifts we have that we can give away. 

2. We can also be thankful for the blessings that God has bestowed in our lives. These blessings may be financial, or they may be blessings of relationships. We can also be thankful for our families, our jobs, and the good things that come to us. But we can also be thankful for the tragedies, for the times of trial that we go through. Paul says in the New Testament that he has learned to be content in whatever circumstance, and I pray that I feel the same way one day. Mostly, I'm thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus whose death has given us life.

3. Thanksgiving represents family time. Together we eat, shop, and watch football. We play kickball and football with friends and neighbors, and we watch the Longhorns-Aggies game. This time is full of fun and memorable traditions that we continue to pass on to our children.

4. This year the holiday also represents a new tradition: a 5K fun run for most of the Poe side of the family (including me!). We are running in the Turkey Trot in Downtown Houston, and I'm very excited about this new tradition we are starting. My goal is to run the entire 3.1 miles. My ankle has been hurting a bit, so I'm a little worried, but I've been training, so I'm hopeful I can do it.

5. Thanksgiving also represents a history for America. The history of the founding of this country (at least by the Pilgrims), and times of joy, thanksgiving, and sharing. This American history has made its way into our hearts and has weaved itself into the way we celebrate the holiday as Christians, too. I don't think there's anything wrong with this necessarily, but I do hope to remember that the focus of this holiday is on the blessing of Jesus more so than the story of the Pilgrims.

May your holiday be one of Thanksgiving and blessing.