March 10, 1998

Psalm 19: 11-14

Wash Away My Sins

I have an older brother and a younger brother who seemed to always be getting into trouble when we were children. One of the threats l remember my mom making to them was, I will wash your mouth out with soap if I hear that again. I don't remember ever seeing anyone have their mouth washed out with soap; although if I remember right, my older brother actually did suffer the consequences of his words when he was young - either when I was too young to remember or before I was born. It must not have been too effective because his mouth continued to get him in to trouble even as an adult.

During this Lenten season, we are reminded that washing our mouth out with soap or showering daily, can not keep us from sinning with our mouth, our bodies or our actions. We cannot cleanse ourselves.

We are washed clean of those sins only through the blood of Christ shed at the cross. It is this cleansing power that we receive in the waters of our baptism.

We can pray the words of the psalmist, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you because Christ is our redeemer and has washed our mouths and our hearts clean with his blood.

---

Prayer: Triune God, thank you for the gift of baptism that washes us clean and reminds us that not only are our sins washed away, but that in Christ we receive forgiveness. Amen. [Yesterday |Lenten Index | Tomorrow]