The letter this week is I

Italy ~ 2007

 

For more ABC Wednesday go see Mrs. Nesbitt.

This week, Michelle is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” at her site, Because I Love You. She has chosen a quote from “A Glimpse of Grace” by Mary Forsythe (with Beth Clark).

“No matter how many good friends I had, there were aspects of my life I needed to deal with alone – heart issues and attitudes that could not be wrestled with in a Bible study…They had to be confronted by the Holy Spirit in the privacy of my own soul.”

I must be honest. I struggled with this quote.  I agree with it but, I think I just would have re-worded it.  When we are in community with other believers, there is accountability and it is the “faithful wounds of a friend” that lead us to the confrontation by the Holy Spirit in the privacy of our souls. 

It is the “Nathan” (2 Samuel 12) in our lives who opens our eyes to our sinful self.  Conviction brings clarity. Clarity leads to confession.  Usually, it is someone pointing out the issue in our lives before we go deal with it in private.  The pointing out can come from a sermon we hear that convicts us or in a more direct fashion, a “wound of a friend”.  It depends on how blind we have become to our condition and how direct the Holy Spirit will have to be in getting us back on the right path.

In the privacy of our souls, we can then pray the prayer of David:

Psalm 51 

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight-
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart-
These, O God, You will not despise.

Create in me a clean heart – Amen!

Such an appropriate quote for the Holy week.  Thanks Michelle! For more thoughts on this week’s quote, head on over to  Because I Love You.