As it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one. Romans 3:10
“Let us then acknowledge, beloved brethren, the wholesome gift of the divine mercy; and let us, who cannot be without some wound of conscience, heal our wounds by the spiritual remedies for the cleansing and purging of our sins. Nor let any one so flatter himself with the notion of a pure and immaculate heart, as, in dependence on his own innocence, to think that the medicine needs not to be applied to his wounds; since it is written, “Who shall boast that he hath a clean heart, or who shall boast that he is pure from sins?” [Proverbs 20:9] And again, in his epistle, John lays it down, and says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” [1 John 1:8-9] But if no one can be without sin, and whoever should say that he is without fault is either proud or foolish, how needful, how kind is the divine mercy, which, knowing that there are still found some wounds in those that have been healed, even after their healing, has given wholesome remedies for the curing and healing of their wounds anew!”
Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) in his Treatise 8. On Works and Alms, 3.
I return tonight from two weeks in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan.
On the last leg of my journey I visited Taipei (pictured above) and met a long-time reader of Daily Mediations, Ning Wang. We had breakfast, shared about our lives, and prayed together.
And praise God, she has agreed to be GTP Country Coordinator for Taiwan. Now, when you read this, I will be somewhere over the Pacific Ocean en route home.
I have seen God work in powerful ways on this trip. It’s been a humble privilege to serve as a conduit of blessing.
And yet, simultaneously, there were many times I felt unprepared, unworthy, or inadequate to deliver powerful and prophetic messages to audiences of tens, hundreds, and thousands.
In the words of Isaiah, I felt like “a man of unclean lips.” Maybe you can relate? It’s one thing to deliver a message to a small group. But when the audience numbers in the thousands, it’s a whole new ballgame.
The fact is that we are all sinners. We are all unclean. We all need washing and cleansing for service.
That’s what Lent is for. In the Western Church calendar, it runs from 14 February to 31 March 2024. It’s like Spring Training for the big leagues of life. And God has given me a fresh vision for Lent this year.
Go through it with a neighbor. Ning told me today she was just telling others about it. You can do this too. Don’t do Lent alone. If you want a travel guide for the journey, download my Lent Companion here.
Why do this? Do it because we are aiming to keep our neighbors ever in our view in 2024. And do it because the process just may give them the wholesome gift of divine mercy.
Giving that gift is the greatest act of generosity you can ever do for a person.