Today Daily Devotional

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
— James 5:16

None of us likes to confess sin. The first step in confession is to acknowledge that we have done something wrong. That doesn’t make us feel very good about ourselves. But we must confess our sins, even if they are only sinful thoughts.Confessing our sinful thoughts is not a natural practice. We might think that if we haven’t acted on sinful things we have thought about, why bother? We may tell ourselves that what we think doesn’t really matter, but it does. All seven of the deadly sins are based in our thoughts: envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, anger, lust, and pride. These deadly thoughts are the fertile soil from which sins of word and deed can sprout and grow.We tend to think that since they are only thoughts, they don’t need to be confessed. We might even think that we have our problem under control— or soon will. We would much rather manage our problems than confess our sins.But we need to confess our sinful thoughts, not just manage them. And if we are fortunate enough to have good Christian friends with whom we can confess our thoughts, we should talk with them. We need to admit that we cannot conquer sin on our own. We need the power of God’s Spirit to free us from sin and evil. If we wish to be like Christ, we need God’s Spirit to cleanse our thoughts.

O God, confession is hard. We would rather be in charge of our thoughts. But help us to confess to you. Give us the courage and humility we need to confess our sins. Amen.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
— Proverbs 3:24

Have you ever had a strange dream that woke you up in the middle of the night? Many of us have. Our subconscious is active even when we are asleep.In addition, the Holy Spirit is at work in us, even when we are not conscious of it.This is one reason why we need to talk to God before we sleep. Bedtime prayers are important. What can we say to God before we go to sleep? We should thank him for his protection during the day, even if we are not always aware of it. We should thank him for keeping us from sin and from causing harm to ourself or others.We should also prepare for the next day. We can trust that tomorrow is in God’s hands. We can cast our worries on him, knowing that God has already seen what awaits us and has arranged things for our good.If you have concerns that could keep you awake, lay them before God. You might not see a way out, but God has already provided the ultimate way through Jesus Christ.The practice of bedtime prayer can and should begin at a young age. I remember my mother and father teaching me an evening prayer. And I teach this one to my grandchildren:

Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me. Bless your little lamb tonight. Through the darkness be near me; keep me safe till morning light. All this day your hand has led me, and I thank you for your care. You have clothed and warmed and fed me. Listen to my evening prayer. Amen.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.
— Psalm 4:8

We sleep, but the Holy Spirit and the demons do not. So even our subconscious can be a battleground of spirituality.C. S. Lewis recommended the following steps in prayer before we go to sleep. First, ask God to show you what sins you might have committed during the day. Those sins include thoughts, words, and actions. Confess those sins and ask God to forgive you for them, as well as other sins that might not even come to mind.Second, surrender your concerns and anxious thoughts to God. Let go of worries that might keep you awake. Give them up to God. As another translation of this psalm puts it, “You let me lie down in peace, and keep me perfectly safe.” We can be safe not only from violence or physical turmoil but also from the attacks of the devil. We live under the care of the loving God not only when we are awake but also when we are asleep.Finally, ask God to protect you while you sleep and when you are awake. God alone provides us with true rest. Rest is shalom/peace. In God’s shalom all is well. All is in harmony. This is the peace that Jesus leaves with his disciples, and all who follow Jesus are his disciples. Ask the Lord for this peace. It is available always, whether you are awake or asleep.

Thank you, God, that even while we sleep, you care for us. You give us the peace that the world cannot give. And in you we find eternal, peaceful rest. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
— James 1:14

Temptations are thoughts. We see things or people that appeal to us, and we want them for ourselves, even though we know that would be wrong.Humans will always have sensations of desire, and we really can’t be responsible for those initial impressions. For example, I am a heterosexual male. When I see a beautiful woman, my first impression is “Wow, she is really a knockout!” That is a natural response. To stop having such a sensation would probably require that I be struck blind.After that initial impression, though, I am responsible for my thoughts. Those thoughts may lead toward temptation and evil. To think, “Wow, it would be a dream come true to get together with her,” for example, is not just an initial impression. That would be an evil thought leading to sin. Jesus said that “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). That is very easy to do. And it is sin.Every day, we see things or persons that can tempt us. It can happen when you see a car, or a house, or a person, or pretty much anything you might desire. But when we move from an instinctive first impression to a conscious thought of wrongful desire, we sin. And God is not to blame for that. God makes beautiful things, but the desire is ours— and ours to control.

O God, keep us from temptation, deliver us from evil, and forgive us our sins. By your Spirit’s work in us, help us to control our thoughts, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
— Romans 12:2

Notice the big contrast in this text. We can follow the “pattern”— or the behaviors, standards, and customs—of the world. Or we can follow the will of God. And the way to do that is to be transformed by the renewing of our mind in Christ so that we can see how to live by God’s will.Our world is influenced by evil powers, led by the devil, the prince of darkness. The patterns, behaviors, standards, and customs of this world promote selfishness, boasting, abuse of power, and disdain for others. We see it every day in the media. And it can be difficult to resist, especially when it seems normal.God wants to rescue us from destructive thoughts and patterns. Each person—empowered by the Holy Spirit—needs to seek God to be transformed.“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” writes the apostle Paul. This is a good shorthand description of the Christian’s lifelong calling. It describes how to become more like the Savior. We need to shed our old, evil thoughts and put on new, holy ones. We can leave behind the desires of the world and grasp the love of God. We can put away self-promoting customs and embrace the self-sacrificing love of Christ.We need to resist and reject the customs and patterns of the sinful world. Our minds need to discern what the true will of God is and to live by it.

Dear Lord, we need to be transformed. Renew our minds to be like the mind of Christ so that we may live by your will. Amen.