As far as the east is from the west
Lily Cathcart
September 21, 2017
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Psalm 103: 6-14
6 The Lord works vindication
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14 For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.
“…as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.” (verse 12)
This verse cannot help but direct me to the TV series ‘Deutschland 83’ where the distance from east to west, in this case of Berlin in the 1980s, is not only known - but enforced.
It is a very comforting thought that God has removed our wrongdoing so far away from us and this phrase features in well known hymns, but recently it occurred to me that if my wrongdoing is moved all the way east or west I might find it has gone right round the world and is tapping me on the shoulder again.
While this is probably taking the idea further than the psalmist intended, it can hold true in life and in this TV series. When we try so hard to forget something we have done wrong, ironically, we can find it taking centre stage in our thoughts, changing who we become. The main character in Deutschland 83, Martin, tries so hard to escape from, and make up for, his mistakes that he falls further and further into them in the process.
Dear God,
You can free us from the cycle of our wrong doing and mistakes.
Please help us to learn, to grow and to forgive ourselves as you forgive us.
Amen.
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