Love Keeps No Record of Wrong
Let’s begin a fresh week of daily reading!
We follow up with Pastor’s Vijay’s sermon from this Sunday with 5 days of confession.
I know even the word ‘confession’ itself can be very intimidating and may come across as accusatory.
Before you click off the page, just know that the practice of confession has been a foundation of the Christian faith for centuries!
Jesus talked about confession in the parable of the tax collector, pointing to the tax collector’s simple prayer – ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13) – as a way to be right with God.
Actually, confession is a pathway to intimacy with God.
Let me tell you how each day of the reading will go.
For each of the readings, we will go through the “Daily Record Clearing” exercise Pastor Vijay showed us.
Each day, we will begin our daily reading by first finding a rhythm that allows us to be attentive to God’s voice – slowing and pausing before him. Then, you will read a short passage that helps turn your focus to a particular thought for the day
And finally, you will go through the “Daily Record Clearing” exercise
Here is a video of the exercise for you to review how it can be done. [link to sermon where exercise is done]
Well, let’s begin!
Day 1 – Broken Spirit
1) Enter into a slower rhythm by slowing down your breathing, take slightly deeper and longer breaths. It is important to not rush this process of slowing, just like a plane needs a long enough runway for it to slow down enough to land, we must take the time to slow down, there are no shortcuts.
2) Read the following passage slowly and thoroughly
Read Psalm 51
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Something to think about:
What kind of sacrifice is King David offering to God?
How can you offer yourself to God in the same way?
3) Go through the Daily Record Clearing exercise:
In the last 24 hours:
- What words did I say/think that were unkind, selfish, angry, cutting, sarcastic, gossipy, or discouraging?
- What acts of selfishness (seen or unseen) did I engage in?
- What things did I look at or think about that were dishonouring to others?
- What opportunities to show love did I miss, ignore or avoid?
- What things have I held against the others who are close to me?
As you finish responding to the questions, simply let the following statements be a guide to prayer:
- I write these down on paper, device or in my mind’s eye, and I ask for God’s forgiveness, cleansing and grace
- I hear Jesus saying to me, “yes, I died for those things”
- I end my time by throwing out, deleting or burning the record, knowing that it is no longer seen by God
- I ask Jesus if there is anyone I need to go and confess to in light of this conversation
- I close with this simple prayer: “thank you Jesus”
Day 2 – Posture
1) Enter into a slower rhythm by slowing down your breathing, take slightly deeper and longer breaths
2) Read the following passage slowly and thoroughly
Read Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Something to think about:
What is it about the tax collector’s prayer that justified him before God? What does the prayer reveal about the heart of the person who is praying and the heart of God, who is receiving the prayer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to shape your heart this way.
3) Click here and go through the Daily Record Clearing exercise
Day 3 – Gratitude
1) Enter into a slower rhythm by slowing down your breathing, take slightly deeper and longer breaths
2) Read the following passage slowly and thoroughly
Read Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Something to think about:
We have been doing the “Daily Record Clearing” exercise for the past two readings. Today, before we head into the exercise again to clear the record of wrongs, let’s set up a record of thanksgiving. Write down 1 to 3 things you are thankful for.
3) Click here and go through the Daily Record Clearing exercise
Day 4 – Repentance
1) Enter into a slower rhythm by slowing down your breathing, take slightly deeper and longer breaths
2) Read the following passage slowly and thoroughly
Read Luke 15:8-10
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Something to think about:
We often see confession and turning away from sin only from our own perspective; let’s see it from God’s vantage point. What does God see when a sinner repents?
3) Click here and go through the Daily Record Clearing exercise
Day 5 – Forgiveness
1) Enter into a slower rhythm by slowing down your breathing, take slightly deeper and longer breaths
2) Read the following passage slowly and thoroughly
Read Psalm 103:11-12
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us
Something to think about:
Take a moment to thank God for removing your sins from you as you confess before him.
3) Click here and go through the Daily Record Clearing exercise