March 23rd, 2021

In his famous psalm King David cries out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, 
and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of your saving help again and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.” (Psalm 51:11-13)

David voices the universal intra-human conflict: the desire to be good at war with our confounded and unabating propensity to do bad. Scripture talks about this in different ways – old Adam v new Adam, flesh v spirit, – but it boils down to the same old thing. We just can’t make it on our own.

That’s why this psalm/prayer is a daily favorite of mine! Speaking of great prayers, this week’s collect for the 5th Sunday in Lent is brilliant.

“Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Fifth Sunday in Lent – BCP p. 219)