Ash Wednesday

Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

On a list of 1 to 10 of favorite things for me to do, grocery shopping gets a 15. I don’t like the crowds, people stopping in the middle of an aisle clueless of everyone around them, and long checkout lines.

But one thing I am amused in watching, if you can call it that, is people thunking melons. You see all kinds as they hold a melon, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, etc., up to their ear and tap it, or thunk it, with their finger to hear what it sounds like. (On a side note: I have no clue what one is supposed to hear because I hear absolutely nothing.)

So here is where my brain goes. If God were to come to us and thunk our heart, what would sound like? Would it be hardened and give no sound at all? Would it be humble and have a pure sound? Would it be filled with praise and have a sound of joy and excitement?

In our psalm verse, David asks God to cleanse him on the inside. In other words, I believe David wants God to clean his heart so that when he thunks it, God will hear a sound that is precious, pure, and filled with joy. During this Lenten season, may God cleanse our heart so that when he thunks it, God will hear those same sounds that he did from David. P. Mark

Prayer: Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Amen

Pastor Mark E. Brodbeck
Chaplain Signature HealthCARE Coshocton