Grace and Guilt

 ‘My guilt has overwhelmed me, its a burden too heavy to bear’

Psalm 38:4

Dear Friends,

In planning my sermons for the next month, I use my Presbyterian planning calendar to read the lectionary texts. I decide which reading I’m going to use and then I come up with a theme and from that a sermon title. Then I send it to the worship team which means I’m locked in to preaching that text and using that sermon title! In a few weeks, I’m going to be preaching about grace and guilt. I guess 90% of my sermons at least mention grace but I don’t say too much about guilt, so sermon preparation that week should be a challenge for me. I don’t know about you, but I live with guilt all the time, especially since I “retired.” You see, there are LOTS of things I could feel guilty about, but my biggest guilt has to do with not getting things done. I am a doer. If I’m not always busy, I feel guilty. There are doers and there are be-ers and even though I know the biblical story of Mary and Martha well, and how Mary chose the “better,” I identify much more with Martha! The challenge is, I want to see things accomplished faster than other folks. When I came back to New Wappetaw, a good friend told me to take it slow… “don’t try to do too much too fast.” I have tried to take that advice; thus, I have this guilt. However, I am grateful that I’m not the only doer here, I suspect there are more than a few “Marthas’ at New Wappetaw so I’m in good company.

Fortunately for me, this congregation understands grace and I THINK you are patient with me. We have at least two weeks before my sermon on grace and guilt, so let me know your thoughts on either.

Have a great week!

Blessings

Mike