Daily Meditations for Lent 2006

Mar. 18 - Saturday

Micah 7:14-15,18-20

Readings

O Lord our God, our great shepherd and leader, who is like you? Who else reaches out to the blind, the deaf, the lame, the weak, and the sick? You do not delight only in strength, but you reach out with compassion for those who walk with faltering steps. You sympathize with our weakness and seek to help us. You call to us, “Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (Hebrews 12:12), then you gently brace what is sagging and tenderly build up what is weak.
Who is like you, who pardons all our sins? For whom no sin is too great, nor too often repeated, to forgive? Who else has compassion on us, wiping out the guilt of our errors? You do not blame! Instead, you cast our sins into oblivion. You don’t deal with us as we deserve or pay us back for our transgressions. No, you gather us into your arms, calming and quieting our guilty, anxious souls. Daily you shower us with mercy and treat us to your kindness.

Who is like you, who stands and watches eagerly for our return when we have strayed? Who runs to us when we are yet far off, and reaches out to draw us close with arms of love? You rejoice in our return and greet us with the love you have had for each of us from the beginning of time. When we have lost our way, you give us grace to help us return to you (Hebrews 4:16). And though we might deserve to be treated as slaves, you call us your sons and daughters, Jesus’ sisters and brothers.

Who is a God like you, who speaks to each one whom he has created? Who makes the ear and also opens it daily to hear from its maker? You speak a word, and it is so—how many words do you speak over us, Lord? O let us hear them, and let them be so in our lives! You are always faithful, always loving, always doing what you say you will, and able to do more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

“I want to meet you today, God, to grow in love and trust of you. Thank you, Father, for your goodness, your kindness, your mercy, your gentleness, your faithfulness, and your patient, untiring love for me.”

posted by Thomas Cagurangan @ 8:49 PM