Todays devotion is written by Mike Loveridge
Each evening, at bedtime, we read our kids a Bible story and then pray with them. Before praying, we ask them two questions; 1) What do you want to thank God for today? 2) What do you want to say sorry to God for today? The other evening, when I asked Pippa this second question she replied, “Nothing, I’m good girl!”. Isaac found this highly amusing and told her, “No, Pippa, you have to say sorry for your sins!” Now it didn’t take me long to think of several things Pippa could say sorry for from the previous hour, let alone from the whole day. Isaac was right. Each day we need to say sorry for our sins and adults, just like children, have plenty to say sorry to God for.
Every human being who has ever walked on this earth, with the one and only exception of Jesus, has sinned and if they don’t admit it they are lying, which is itself a sin! The Bible puts it this way in Romans 3v23. ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ Every single one of us reading this has fallen short of God’s standards which means we have sinned.
Jesus recognises this need for forgiveness as an essential part of prayer and includes it within the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus doesn’t say if you have done wrong that day, say this. No, he is teaching the disciples, and us, how we should pray each day and assumes our need for forgiveness every time we pray.
Another thing to note, is that asking for forgiveness isn’t the first line of the Lord’s Prayer. God doesn’t say to us, ‘Sort yourself out and clean yourself up, then come to me in prayer.’ Instead He says, ‘You are a sinner who has messed up. Come to me in prayer and during that prayer ask once again for forgiveness.’ God listens to the prayers of sinners! So, when you have messed up and sinned don’t let the guilt of that sin stop you from coming to God. Instead come to Him, ask for forgiveness knowing that Jesus has dealt with that sin upon the cross. As Christian we are still sinners, who are in the process of being sanctified, but we are completely saved by grace through Jesus.
So, we are all sinners who need to, in repentance, seek God’s forgiveness daily. Asking for God’s forgiveness is not something we do just once when we become a Christian but it is an ongoing, lifelong commitment. We know we are forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross but we still ask for forgiveness for all our wrong doing. As Christians we sin explicitly, sins we are aware of, and implicitly, sins that we aren’t aware of. So, as we ask for forgiveness we can name directly some of our sins but we should also ask for forgiveness for the sin that we cannot recall to mind.
As we pray ‘Forgive us our sins’ we are asking God to forgive us for all the ways we have turned away from Him and His will, for the ways we have not trusted Him, for the ways we have offended and grieved Him and for the ways we have rejected His wisdom, His love, His goodness, and His glory. I am sure that is not an exhaustive list of all the things we do wrong, but it's not a bad start!
Today as you pray and ask God for forgiveness come to him boldly knowing that the debt for your sin is paid. As you ask for forgiveness also ask for the strength to resist the temptation of sin and to be sanctified into the likeness of Jesus.
Prayer for today
Our loving and gracious heavenly Father,
As we come to you today, we once again confess all our sin to you, both sin we are aware of and hidden sin in our lives. We are sorry for all the ways we wrong you, grieve you and do not live how you call us to. We thank you that through the death of Jesus we have complete and total forgiveness for our sin.
We ask today that you will show us in our lives where sin is hidden. Through the power of your Spirit, will you give us the strength to resist sin as you change us day by day into the likeness of your Son.
Use us to glorify your name here on earth.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen
Song for today
You can listen and sing along here
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash
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