Being led out of bitter waters

You feel the rising... the hardness pressing in. Like a sudden storm it emerges and the sarcasm pours out too quickly and like a cloud passing over and blocking the sun so you suddenly feel severed. It's too late... it's been said. You know that the healing of the soul is never as quick as the lightning of the tongue.

"The tongue is... a world of iniquity."

"Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?"

So with immediate remorse you stumble through the rite of contrition and you consider the Atonement Child... come down to this place, to heal these people before we ever loved Him for it.

There is no remission without sacrifice (Heb 9.22)



"he took it from the altar. And touched my mouth with it". We are always being washed by the Father, healed and lifted out of the mire. Our salvation comes once but our Spirit-wrought transformation continues... with the washing of water by the word.

"by one sacrifice He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." How can we not love Him to overflow.

It's true that we need to repent quickly and forgive often, us all learning and needing His fortifying power and fresh mercies. Our sorrows would overtake us if He did not give us a way out.

"He sent His Word and He healed them... and calmed the storm so that its waves are still."

And the clouds have moved and the sun has set, and we are glad that we can go out with joy and be led out with peace.