A WORD FOR TODAY, October 17, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, October 17, 2025
“Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge. Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:1-12, WEB
We are doing some room renovation in our home this weekend. Our son moved out, and the room where he was living is going to become a new guest room for company. The walls desperately need a new coat of paint before we move the furniture from the old guest room. It is a time of renewal in many ways, covering the old with new, making clean the unclean. I look forward to welcoming guests into this new and renewed space. I’m sure my guests would not mind, but I see every ugly spot and blemish. I want it to be the best it can be.
We don’t like to admit it, but we have lots of spots and blemishes. This is why Jesus came, to cover the old with Himself and wash away our uncleanness. We are encouraged to see ourselves as God might see us: the good, the bad and the ugly. Jesus doesn't tell us that we are better or worse than any others, He simply wants us to be willing to listen to His Word. It is our willingness to admit our spots and blemishes that Jesus commends, rejoicing with us when we see the reality of our sin and turn to Him for forgiveness and peace.
Paul, who was once a Pharisee, realized his failure when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. In his letters, he repeatedly talks about his sinfulness and the mercy received from Jesus. He wrote to Timothy, “I am thankful that Jesus has given me so much despite my sinfulness.” He openly admits his failure and embraces God’s grace. God does not desert His people. He does not reject us. He forgives. He teaches. He rebukes and corrects us, but He does so that we will be all we can be. He covers us with the new and cleans our uncleanness. He wants to draw us further and further into His heart so that we will not fail the next time.
Like the psalmist, we are encouraged to sing a confession the faith, “Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.” This cry is a reminder to our Lord, like Moses did for the Israelites, that we are His. While we might hurt others, our sinfulness is truly against God. But we can humbly and prayerfully remind Him that we are His, beg His forgiveness and receive His grace. “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.” These very familiar words are a cry to our God to make us new, to do for us as He did for His people throughout the ages. We can ask Him to change us, and He does so from the inside out so that we will be all that He wants us to be.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.