A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 3/2

Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

In the spirit of this Lenten time,
I offer you a contrite heart...

I don't understand the mystery of your mercy, Lord:
how you love me even in my sins;
how you never fail to see the good in me;
how you always find something in me to love;
how you never stop reaching out, gently,
to rescue me from my selfish ways,
to bring me home to your embrace,
to mend what's broken inside me,
to heal what's sick,
to forgive what's sinful...

I don't understand, Lord,
but I'm ever grateful for your mercy,
for the depth of your mercy,
the mercy you never fail to offer me...

So this morning, Lord,
I offer you my contrite heart...

So great is your love for me,
so exquisite the delight you take in me,
so taken are you with my soul
that even when I forget, when I tarnish,
when I deny your beauty within me -
still, even then, you call me back to your grace
and offer me your pardon...

So this morning, Lord,
I offer you my contrite heart...

Help me remember that you meet me
just where I need you:
where I'm rough-edged,
   you come to smooth me;
where I'm broken,
   you come to mend me;
where I'm weak,
   you come to strengthen me;
where I'm sick,
   you come to heal me;
where I've sinned,
   you come to forgive me...

And so I offer you my contrite heart...

Forgive my sins, Lord,
and nurture all that's good in me:
be gentle in receiving the heart I offer you
for it is, indeed, a broken and contrite heart...

Help me forgive those who've hurt me, Lord,
to find all that's good within them,
to be gentle in welcoming them
to walk in peace at my side...

I offer you my contrite heart, O God,
this morning, this day, tonight
and all through this season of Lent...

I offer you this prayer, Lord,
trusting that you'll never turn away
a broken, contrite heart...

Amen.