Bible Readings and Devotion for July 14, 2020
Here are the references for the readings. Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible:
Devotion for July 14, 2020
By Pastor David Tinker
There is an old saying that, “God watches us through the eyes of little birds.” I don’t really believe that birds do this, for God is greater and more powerful than to need to rely upon little birds to watch us. It is actually creepy to me more than anything else. What gives me comfort is that God cares about our lives in great detail. God is with us no matter what. God is there to carry us through the highs and lows of life. God is there to see our sin, and to see that we understand his immense mercy and forgiveness.
In Psalm 32:5 we read, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” This reminds us that there is no use or benefit for us to hide from God. We are unable to do this anyway.
In light of God’s amazing and abundant love, mercy, and forgiveness, it is actually good that our lives our open to our God. By God’s Spirit we are opened up to understand that God is for us. We get to be reminded that the Lord desires life and hope and forgiveness for us. With this in mind, we are invited to work out the problems of our sins as we relate with our Lord.
Part of that ongoing act of working things out with God includes what verse 5 notes, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” Talking about this with God in prayer is essential to our work. When we can talk about it, in quiet prayer, corporate confession, or in private, confessional, Christian conversation, we get it out in the open between us and God. If we can talk about it, we can deal with it. God wants us to deal with is, so we are invited to talk about it.
There are at least two benefits of dealing with our sin. One is that we can address the issues and let it go to God, which brings relief. The other is that we can receive God’s caring forgiveness. God desires that we have life. Forgiveness of our sin brings life.
We give thanks that God see us, God watches us, as we move through this life. It is good that he does pay attention, for we need to address our sin and the results of sin which have entered our lives. God pays attention to see us sin, but even more so, to forget our sin.
Prayer
“Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!” Psalm 25:7 Amen
Martin Luther Lutheran Church 