Filthy Rags

I am guilty, but pardoned,
lost, but saved,
wandering, but found,
sinning, but cleansed.

• • •

These lines are taken from one of my favourite faith-songs (A Prayer for the Broken Hearted by Chelsey Scott), which pulls words from an old devotional prayer; "The Broken Heart"… which in turn pulled largely from scripture, Especially Isaiah 64.

The language here is harsh, and heavy. It reeks of self-effacement and lament… and yet, relatable. Moreover, there is an apparent air of hope and relief that I’ve personally drawn great comfort from over the years.

To be human is to experience struggle and suffering. To be human is to fall short of every ideal we set for ourselves. To be human is to know God and marvel at his boundless love for us, despite our every shortcoming. We are broken, He is perfect. We are muddy, He is radiant. We hurt, he heals.

May we find comfort in his wounds.