Reflections for Lent

Psalm 51 NRSV

Have mercy on me, O God,

    according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy,

    blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

    and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

    and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned

    and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence

    and blameless when you pass judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,

    a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;[a]

    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret
   heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;

    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins,

    and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and put a new and right[b] spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and sustain in me a willing[c] spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

    and sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

    O God of my salvation,

    and my tongue will sing aloud of your
   deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips,

    and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

    if I were to give a burnt offering, you would
   not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God[d] is a broken
    spirit;

    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will
   not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

    rebuild the walls of Jerusalem;

then you will delight in right sacrifices,

    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

About eleven years ago, Jim Dennis, our minister at the time, asked me and Buddy Presley if we would start a small group. We had several small groups in the church, but he wanted us to start one that was different. Jim said that there was a need to have a group where people, both Grace members and non-members, could attend and just talk about things going on in their lives. Buddy was a licensed therapist in Aiken. He was a very low-key kind man who always had a calming demeanor. I am still not sure what Jim saw in me other than the fact that I had been a member of Grace for many years!

Buddy said we must ensure confidentiality and let attendees know that we were not there to “fix” anyone. The first night we had about six people show up. About six more than I had anticipated! We continued to have the same agenda that we started with eleven years ago and we always have five to ten attendees, both new and old regulars. We have had people come to just one meeting and some who never miss. We go around the table and let everyone have as much time as they want to tell us what is going on in their lives. There is always the option of not participating. 

The life lesson I have learned from this group is that most people have some troubling times in their lives. When someone sits down next to you in church or at work or at a ball game and you ask them, “How are you?” or “How is everything going?”, what is the answer 99% of the time?... “Fine,” or “I’m fine.” In some cases, they are not “fine.” They need someone to talk to and just don’t know where to turn. You may be the one they need to talk to. In our group, we have heard people discuss deaths of relatives, drug abuse of their children, loss of jobs, marriages in trouble.

Many of these have been friends or acquaintances of mine that I would have never guessed were struggling. Always be on the lookout for a change in someone’s demeanor or personality. Tell your friends regularly that you love them and let them know that you are always praying for them.

~John Mullins~ 

Lord, please give me the wisdom to know when others are struggling with problems in their lives and to know what to say that can comfort them. Amen.