"Sustain in Me... a Willing Spirit."

"I pray for the desire to pray and meditate on behalf of my congregation.  May we learn patience, gentleness, compassion, empathy, humility, and tolerance.  May we abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and shame.  May we come to know Christ as Christ knows us, as made in the image and likeness of God.  May we seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly."

Psalm 51:12-14

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
   and sustain in me a willing^* spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
   O God of my salvation,
   and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.


1) "Restore to me the joy of your salvation;" "...a willing spirit;" "...return to you;" "...sing aloud;" "...deliverance;" "Then;"


2) Is the "then" an assertion of a conditional clause?  "If" you restore to me and "if" you sustain in me, "then" I will teach?  Is it a bribe?  Or is it simply a set of causes... certainly if I teach and sinners return, it is only because God has restored and sustained.  I like that sense better.  So.  In our community of faith, do I see sinners returning to God, am I genuinely teaching God's ways?  Is there evidence that God has restored to us the joy of God's salvation, and sustains in us a willing spirit?  Which is antecedent to the other?  It seems to me that no one will want to know what I have to teach if there is no joy, who wants to listen to an unwilling teacher?  Who wants to join a community that bickers and quarrels?  Who wants to participate in a community that serves begrudgingly?


3) What is the invitation in all this?  To focus on the generation of joy within the community, within my own heart, to focus on the generation of a willing spirit within my own heart and community.


"Holy One, make us willing and joyful."


Breathprayer: "Sustain in me... a willing spirit"