Airing Our Dirty Laundry

This week: 

Confession 

The back story
David stays home from battle #poorchoice
David sees Bathsheba in the bath and shrugs  #YOLO
#poorchoice
Bathsheba ends up pregnant #whosawthatcoming?
David retrieves Bathsheba's husband from the battlefield #what? #noreason
Bathsheba's husband won't enjoy R&R while his troops are still at war #respect
#thisdoesnotlookgood
David sends Bathsheba's husband under direct military attack #notcool #poorchoice
Bathsheba's husband dies #whosawthatcoming?
David marries Bathsheba #whatamess
David figgers he got away with it. #notsofast
Nathan #prophetofGod shows up. #uhoh
Nathan #prophetofGod tells the story of a selfish rich man stealing a poor shepherd's only lamb. #poorshepherdproblems #notcool
David gets mad & takes the poor shepherd's side. Nathan #prophetofGod says #youtheman
#boomwhatsup
#dropthemike

Psalm 51
"Have mercy on me, O God
     According to your unfailing love;
     According to your great compassion

Blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin."

David thought he had gotten away with it.  He thought he'd shoved those poor choices so far in the back corner of the closet that no one would ever find them.  He was ready to move forward.  Then Nathan shows up, unearths the wrinkled, mildewed and stained mess.  And, in public, he airs the King's dirty laundry.

Get out the tide stick, the bleach and Heloise handy tips for stain removal.
God is about to muck about in our dirty laundry.

God doesn't show up with cellophane & starched new clothes.
God the washer woman gets to work.
Taking what is old and soiled and wrinkled and torn.
God mends and soaks, scrubs and irons us back to life.

Our secret addictions.
That ancient mistake so carefully hidden.
Pieces of ourselves crammed in a closet corner.

Maybe, like David, we think we are in the clear.
Maybe, like David, God sends us someone -- a friend, a therapist, a spouse -- some modern day prophet to air our dirty laundry.

Not to be unkind.
Not to shame or ridicule

But because God the washer woman won't work in the back corner of closets.
God the washerwoman uses soap and fresh air.
Taking what is old and soiled and wrinkled and torn.
God mends and scrubs and hangs us on the line.
Not dirty laundry
Rather refreshed, remade, redeemed,
Pure hearts flapping in a strong summer breeze
Steadfast spirits soaking sunshine

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation."