Keeping a Holy Lent
Create in me a beautiful heart, O God,
and put a new and faithful spirit within me
Joel 2:12-14
12 But there’s also this, it’s not too late—
God’s personal Message!—
“Come back to me and really mean it!
Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!”
13-14 Change your life, not just your clothes.
Come back to God, your God.
And here’s why: God is kind and merciful.
He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot,
This most patient God, extravagant in love,
always ready to cancel catastrophe.
Who knows? Maybe he’ll do it now,
maybe he’ll turn around and show pity.
Maybe, when all’s said and done,
there’ll be blessings full and robust for your God!
The Message Bible
Ashes
Take all of who I am,
the me-ness of me,
what makes me who I am,
the special, the unique,
the brilliant and the unpardonable,
all I’m so proud of, and so ashamed,
that I’ve worked so hard to fashion,
that I’m still working on,
what I can’t part with
because there wouldn’t be
anything left of me—
take it.
Take it.
I lay it in your hands.
Gather it into yourself,
into your dark, generous mystery,
and in the flame of your creating heart
burn it.
Then into the dust and ashes
breathe your breath,
and with gratitude
I will receive
who rises
when in your grace
you give me anew.
Steve Garnass-Holmes
Steve Garnaas-Holmes,
www.unfoldinglight.net
Used with permission.
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