This morning’s devotion comes from Paul Walker‘s Almost Daily Devotional.
Chris Stapleton sings a song called “Drunkard’s Prayer.” “When I get drunk, and talk to God / I say I’m sorry for the things I’m not / I mean every word I say / And I promise I can change / When I get drunk, and talk to God.” In my humble opinion, that is real prayer. It doesn’t have to be a “bottle to get me on my knees” — it can be any number of humbling circumstances, either done or left undone.
Stapleton sings, “I wish that I could go to church but I’m too ashamed of me.” So many people feel that way. But that is what is so ironic about the erroneous notion that church is a place where people have it all together. The last time I checked, every single service we are on our knees, as “we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness.” So it’s a darn good thing that the Apostle Paul tells us, “This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
Put the emphasis on the last word of that sentence. Those are the only kind of people you will find at church.
“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Collect for Ash Wednesday – Book of Common Prayer, p. 264)
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