Sin: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Sin

                Wages of sin 

                destroy our lives

                drift us into darkness.

                Wrapped in cords of deceit.

                Yet nothing is

                impossible to the Lord

                interceding for each astray.

                Yokes broken by His cross.

Psalm 89:44: "Thou hast made his splendor to cease, And cast his throne to the ground."

Done: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Romans 8:3

“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.”

How many times have we become discouraged over our attitudes and actions, towards ourselves and others knowing they are not acceptable or kind or caring? Plus these daily struggles may not even come close to acknowledging the even deeper sins we keep buried from our own sight.

Even when we honestly take on the battles we recognize Psalm 127:1 reminds us that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

Yet how often do we trudge along on our own solutions expecting ongoing success? We may well win long and often and yet, since we cannot eradicate them, our sins continue to hibernate and wait for the opportunity to strike again.

And those are the ones we admit and recognize. How deep do our secret ones go—especially the ones we have never encountered.

No matter how many rules and intentions we set for ourselves they are useless apart from His condemnation of sin. We will still be in a battle but now we know there is true victory and relief in sight. Even if we experience external loss as a result, our hearts and souls belong to Christ. He enables us to stand firm.

All our brokenness can be brought into healing light. We are no longer left helpless. He lifts us up out of sin’s grasp into new life.

Lord, by Your power, please enable us to stand firm in Your truth and face our sin with boldness, especially in our weaknesses.

Psalm of Worship: Proverbs 8:2

“On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;”

Reflection: Messiah: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Why do you think we continue to ignore or hide our sins from ourselves despite the evidence of Jesus’ grace and forgiveness?

2.     What are some of your personal reasons not to acknowledge your sins to Him?

3.     What harm does hiding our sins do to our hearts? Our thoughts? Our souls?

4.     In what ways does our choice of ignorance affect those around us?

Share: How do you accept His daily grace?

Messiah: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Acts 2:34-36

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,  ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

“Whom you crucified.” It helps to put the burden on the people back then.

Until we remember that our Messiah died to remove all sin for all time and that includes us.

My personal sins contributed to His crucifixion.

I don’t want to think about that aspect or accept that responsibility. I want to concentrate only on His redeeming grace and my gratitude.

It’s so much easier to focus on our own successes and rest a little on His grace before admitting there is a whole lot more excavation to do inside our hearts than we would like to admit. Yet the hidden stuff can become like toxic black mold that insidiously corrupts. And keeps our relationship with the Lord at arms’ length.

Sometimes we’re just too busy to take time to notice, or don’t think of it as a sin, or think we are in control, or it’s so minor an attitude it can’t be all that bad. Or we’re not doing anything different from lots of others. Our excuses and denials can build into picture perfect reasoning. Or into a Pharisee.

Denying the reason Messiah came. To restore—to redeem. To rebuild the broken relationship with Him. To bring His light into the world’s darkness—into our darkness. But first we need to acknowledge our denials.

Lord, please help us to keep our hearts and minds and souls open before You.

Psalm of Worship: Genesis 1:29

“God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.’”

Purify: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Purify

The shadows we

wear determines

journey.

Fly or trudge?

When weighted by

sin’s  appeal each

step a cycle

fall—rise—try again

bonded to earth’s grave.

Release the outer

chains, rise higher

above the ground

float free into

possibilities.

Reflection Weighted: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     What sin shadows do you often wear?  Why?

2.     If you trust in Jesus’ redeeming grace what is keeping you earthbound in your soul?

3.     Or what promise has enabled you to fly? Why?

4.     How do you cope with the sin weight of those closest to you?

Share: What kind of traveler are you? Baggage light or baggage heavy?

Weighted: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 12:1,“let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,”

Just as last week’s witnesses before and present, visible and invisible, encourage us toward a path of promise, so we need to examine what exactly we carry with us as we walk.

Have you ever stood in a line at an airport and wondered how anyone could be traveling with so much baggage? Have you ever been the person that every one stares at as you try to maneuver an overflowing cart of luggage?

Yet perhaps the person with the lightest visible carry-on is actually the one weighted down the most within. Heart and mind and soul heavy.

Even when we want to or try to unload the sin we carry, we often keep it. We hold on for many reasons: it is familiar, we think we can handle it, we consider it a constant reminder of our weaknesses to avoid, or hide, or pay penance for.

Yet they are in reality invisible chains that strangle fresh hope. They weary our bodies and our souls and our minds with a fatigue and sluggishness that we often don’t even recognize.

They slow down the journey, cause resentment from those around us, and steal our joy. But somehow we can’t quite let go. The grip is too strong. Unless we are willing to receive help, or to share the burden with another, or help someone else with theirs. Then we can lift our vision to see our journey with expectancy and new energy.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” We are on this journey by His invitation and by His provision. We can travel light within and without because He walks alongside. Only He can remove  our sin weight. His promise to us.

Lord, please help us to each see the sin we continue to hold onto and relinquish it into Your hands, so that we may travel our days fully released in life.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 63:8

“My soul clings to Thee;

Thy right hand upholds me.”