Advent 1Thursday - Cleaned Up And Ready

 Dec 1 -   Advent 1 Thursday A CLEAN HEART

The real work of Advent is preparing our hearts for God to come and be with us and bless us.  He’s willing.  He’s ready.  Are we? 

The prophet Isaiah helps us understand what the preparations of the Advent season look like.

Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good.  Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.    Isaiah 1:16-18

We do long for God to wash us and make us clean, to help us learn to do good, to seek justice, to help the oppressed, and to defend the causes of orphans and widows. 

I found these lovely words and we’ll borrow them today as we pray:

When we allow darkness to overcome the light, forgive us, Lord.

When we reduce Christmas to plastic and tinsel, have mercy on us, Father.

When hardness of heart keeps us from seeing and hearing and touching the needs of others, let your grace consume us, O God.

When the wars around us are of no concern, forgive us, Lord, and move us to compassion for those who suffer.

When our caring is not extended to action, move us to seek justice for our brothers and sisters.

We come to confess our sinfulness before you.  Remove all barriers that divide us, and let there be no obstacle to our love for you and for one another. Amen.

When we confess our sins, God promises to forgive us and wash us clean and so with the writer of the Psalms we look up to God in faith and trust and say:

Lord God All-Powerful, make us strong again!  Smile on us and save us.  Psalm 80:19

Have a wonderful day basking in the goodness of God’s amazing forgiveness of our sins and restoration to His heart today.