When the troops retreated to their camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has Yahweh allowed us to be defeated by the Philistines? Let us take the ark of God from Shiloh and bring it here so that Yahweh may be with us and save us from our enemies.” So the people sent messengers to Shiloh to take the ark of Yahweh who is seated on the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark.
My Beloved, the Israelites thought if they brought the Ark of the Covenant into the battlefield, You would be obliged to help them. May I never commit the sin of presumption. You are not obliged to do anything for me. Rather, I am Yours to do with as You will.
Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25
Yet now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go forth with our armies. You have let our enemies drive us back and our adversaries plunder us. You have made us the butt of our neighbors’ insult, the scorn and laughingstock of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations; they look at us and shake their heads. Awake, O Lord! Why are you asleep? Arise! Reject us not forever. Why hide your face from us? Why forget our misery and woes?
The Psalmist is lamenting that You have abandoned him. Sometimes it may seem like that - but I know that You will never abandon Your own.
Mark 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you so will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration.” However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.
In this Gospel passage the sinner knows that if he begs You Beloved, You will be moved to pity, You will relent, You can and will cleanse and heal the broken hearted sinner.
After awareness of sin, sorrow, repentance and conversion, it is still not over, we must not only make reparation but we must let the world know that we are made anew. The past life is over and done with, a new life in You has begun. I must witness to everyone I meet how You have changed my life.
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