God is merciful! God is merciful! God is merciful!
What ignites God's mercy? Our
repentance for sin! His mercy is like a
"lighted match," set to the "dry paper" of our repentance.
When we repent, wonderful things happen. As the book of Jonah tells
us, God can "change His mind" and relent from delivering the
punishment our sin deserves. (Jonah 3:1-10)
Our repentance, coupled with God's mercy, makes our sins go up in smoke!
That's what God's mercy can do.
"A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn."
(Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19) Once we realize what our sin actually is, and what
it does to God, to our neighbor and to us, how can we help but be horrified -
and deeply contrite?
Once our heart is "contrite and humbled," God cannot
resist from showering us with His mercy. As a result, our sins are wiped out!
We are cleansed from the inside out, and God creates in us "a clean
heart," as the psalmist says, and renews in us a "steadfast
spirit."
That's what Lent is all about.
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