A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 3/24

Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

I'm still pondering yesterday's gospel story
about the woman at the well...

She was amazed that Jesus could tell her
everything she'd ever done and, clearly,
she had plenty of history to be told...

Lord, I know how well you know me:
you know my history, the whole of it,
better than anyone else,
better than I know it myself;
you know more of me than I do,
and for sure, Lord,
you know everything I've ever done...

And yet you offer me your mercy...

You know my missteps and mistakes,
my blunders and my foolishness,
my bad choices and decisions,
my false moves
and all my selfish ways...

And still you offer me your kindness...

You know my unkind thoughts and words,
my prejudice and bias,
my lies and my gossip,
my mess-ups and offenses,
my failures and my faults,
my jealousy and envy,
my lust and pride and greed...

And yet you offer me forgiveness...

You know my vices and bad habits,
my transgressions and wrongdoing,
my anger and my grudges,
my unjust words and deeds
and all my infidelities...

You know my sins, Lord...

You know every way I've failed
and everything I've failed to do...

You know all the things I meant to do,
wanted to do,
and ought to have done...

You know all the things I forgot to do
because I put them off so often,
for so long...

And still you offer me your pardon...

You know how I've failed
and you know what I've failed to do:
O Lord, you know my sins...

You know the truth of who I am, Lord,
the whole truth:
you know everything I try to hide from others,
from myself - and even you...

You know and you can tell me
everything I've ever done -
and yet
and still
and even so:
you offer me forgiveness,
you tender me your mercy,
you propose a new beginning,
you give a second chance -
and a third, a fourth, a fifth
and many, many more...

You know my sins, Lord,
and yet you call me for your blessing...

This Lent is the time for me
to meet you at the well, Lord:
the deep well of your kindness
and the sweet waters of your mercy;
the well where saving waters wait
to wash me clean of all my sins,
heal me of my faults
and slake my thirst for what is good
and true and whole and pure and just...

You wait by the well
and you wait for me, Lord...

Call me by name, Lord, and draw me near...

Help me face and own the truth of who I am
and lean on you for pardon and for mercy,
for a second chance, a new beginning,
a new birth in your grace...

Help me confess my sins
and my deep need for you
and for your love...

Let me drink deeply of the waters
of your mercy...

I offer you the truth of who I am, Lord,
and pray that you forgive me
and restore me to the peace
that only you can give...

Amen.