NACR Daily Meditation for Sunday, Aug 14, 2005

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NACR Daily Meditation for Sunday, Aug 14, 2005

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Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

There are three common but unhelpful ways of dealing with our failures and
sins. First, there is denial. We tell ourselves that everybody has problems,
so it doesn't really matter. Nothing of any value comes from this effort
to cover-up. A second unhelpful strategy is to blame others for what has
happened. This can range from different versions of 'the-devil-made-me-do-it'
to 'I'm just a product of my environment'. Nothing of any value comes from
this effort to cover-up. Thirdly, instead of turning the emotional energy
outwards in blame we can turn it against ourselves as self-loathing. We
see ourselves as monsters and what we have done as unforgivable. Nothing
of value comes from this effort to atone for our own sins.

God invites us to another path. God invites us to be transformed. God
invites us to stop denying, blaming and catastrophisizing about our lives.
In order to change and grow we need to face the reality of our actions and
attitudes. We need to understand that our sins are like scarlet, like crimson.
They are life-draining. Destructive. But we are forgivable. We are invited
to receive forgiveness. And we are invited to change. The life-draining
behaviors that we have pursued can be changed. Changed from bright red to
snow white. We do not have to let denial, blame and shame lock us into destructive,
hurtful patterns. We can be clean and sober. White as snow. Forgiven.

Lord, free me from denial.
The pretense is choking me to death.
Lord, free me from blame.
It's not working for me anymore.
Lord, free me from self-loathing
The shame is killing me.
Help me to face the truth.
Help me to accept your offer of forgiveness and change.
Make me white as snow.
Make me as clean and pure as new wool.
Amen.

Copyright 1991 Dale and Juanita Ryan 
 
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