Our sins are stronger than we are
Megan Carlson
The psalms are the poetic distilling of all the ancient teachings. And a line like, “our sins our stronger than we are,” speaks to the pattern of sin and repentance of the Israelites. They (we) are a people that strives for goodness and to be a people of LOVE. But as the line continues, we need God for us to overcome and blot out our sins. And God is not a little help. God is not only the frosting on the sugar cookies helping us go from good enough to great. No, God is also the Sun and the Rain growing the wheat and sugar cane in the field for a plentiful harvest. God is fattening the cow to produce the dairy that creates the most luxurious butter. God is in all things. And as we, the dough, are kneaded and heated, tested, and hardened, God’s love keeps us together to bring the deliciousness of God’s love to the world to be shared.
Psalm 65 reminds us of God’s loving presence in all parts of the earth. We are in awe of a world that once barren can be made plentiful, once clamorous can be made calm, and once forbidding is made inviting. And we must not let these marvelous sights go unnoticed. We must rejoice. Advent is a perfect time to remind ourselves of the little joys that remind us of God’s love. The joy of seeing lights dance across the neighbor’s yard as the weather turns cold and uninviting. The joy of children’s laughter and mirth at the coming of Christmas and the hopes for special gifts. The joy of family or time with friends to reminisce about a year of troubles and the promise of happiness to come.
In this last week before Christmas, remember that God is in all things and in all things, there is God. With every cookie exchange, think about all the love that went into the tasty morsel. From the farmers working the land, to the shop keepers stocking the shelves, to your own hands kneading the dough. And remember that just as every cookie may not be perfect on the outside as sinning is hard to avoid, if we keep the Love of God in our hearts and minds, we can be the greatness this world needs, like the most lopsided Christmas cookie that is gobbled up by small hands.
