Mercy’s Stream

From my recent book, Soil of the Divine:

I lay my sin-stained soul
before the Lord,
battered and bruised
by my own foolishness
and rebellion.

My sacrifice is not
a lamb without blemish,
but myself
whose stains
are ground in deeply,
yet I keep playing in the mud.

I bring my filth
to the foot of the cross
and my trembling lips whisper
“…mercy.”

My Christ picks me up
and carries me to the river of grace
whose effervescent waters
mingle with my Savior’s blood,
restoring purity
and wholeness.

Tomorrow, I will need
to bathe again
in mercy’s stream.

Purge me with hyssop
and I shall be clean;
wash me,
and I shall be
whiter than snow. -Psalm 51:7