FEBRUARY 26TH DEVOTIONAL

FEBRUARY 26TH DEVOTIONAL

February 26, 2016

[The Israelites] stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the Lord their God. Nehemiah 9:3

 

The Lenten season is a time we examine ourselves and wonder how can we make ourselves better. Perhaps, it is by a better devotion to God and His Word, more time in prayer or confessing and asking the Lord how can I make myself an improved individual that You would be pleased. A significant word would be a form of one noted: confession. We cannot please God if we are not satisfied with ourselves. To do this, it would be to pray and ask for His forgiveness that is, to confess.

One noteworthy thought here would be to remember no matter how you feel or are aware of your sin, there is Someone who is always available to listen and to whom you can tell what is on your mind. We have received forgiveness from God. This provides us with a relieved mind to know He cares. Read Psalm 32 and observe how David expresses joy after he was forgiven from his terrible sin.

In Nehemiah 8, it is noted reading and studying of God’s Word should come before confession “because God can show us where we are sinning. Honest confession should precede worship because we cannot have a right relationship with God if we hold on to sin.”

Tyndale Publishers published a book quite a few years ago on themes of the Bible. In preparing this devotion, I found it to be interesting that it stated confession has an “important place in the life of the church.” You may wonder how and the Bible informs us in First Peter “In Christ’s kingdom, every believer is a priest to other believers.”This should lighten our burden of sin enabling us to have a better relationship with God.

Prayer: Lord, help us to know when we admit sin, there is a loving God who will provide us with a clean slate and the assurance a pardon has been granted. Amen

Jeff Spang