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Cole Arthur Riley, author of Black Liturgies writes, “We were made for beauty and truth and goodness.” During Lent, Christians reflect on the truths of our lives and our world. During these 40 days, I personally acknowledge how I have ignored, hurt, and, at times, rejected God, others, and myself. Then, with Easter comes the promise that I am Forgiven. Worthy. Loved. This is the everyday Good News of Easter.
But it’s not always easy to choose beauty, truth and goodness. Sometimes, I do what Paul does: I do the things that I do not want to do, but the things I want to do, I do not do. Romans 7:15
But eventually, I remember that God loves me, forgives me and wants me to live a life of beauty, truth and goodness. Many years ago, I internalized a poem called “Questions, Grace and Trembling Hands” which reminds me that our gracious God is always ready to give us another chance, no matter how many mistakes we make. God always hands us a “clean sheet of paper” when we need to try again.
Thank you for you for all the clean sheets of paper that I have needed and will continue to need.
Thank you, gracious God for never ever giving up on me and everyone else in the world.
Amen.
Questions, Grace and Trembling Hands
by Laura Tabin
I wanted things black and white.
You made me struggle, erasing things I knew
Staring at the blaring white, re-evaluating.
And you stood behind me while I worked, while my eraser crumbled
Until I scratched through the paper.
Too many mistakes.
Then, you patiently slipped a clean sheet under my trembling hand and told me to try again.
Always a clean sheet of paper.
Smudged sheets forgotten, hand on my shoulder, Grace.
There are words somewhere quoting Jesus saying “I came into the world not to condemn the world but to save it.” That has struck me of recent to be so compelling. Norma Killilea