“They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD?” (Psalm 14:3-4)
O Lord, though we’d like to sidestep the comprehensive condemnation of these verses, we must confess that we were among those who turned aside, who hadn’t sought you, who hadn’t done good. We were among those who had taken advantage of others for personal gain (“eating up your people as bread”). We were guilty; and worse, we were still empty. Though we sought to fill ourselves by consuming others, we were left with a void in our hearts.
That is, until you, Jesus, willingly gave your life as a sacrifice, that we might partake of your body and blood and have true life fill us up. You came to our rescue, even saving us from our own sin, which had turned us against you and against others. Now we are free: free to seek you, free to do good, free from sin and self-love, and free to serve and love others. In these difficult days, empower us to live our lives with generosity and love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
