Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 9, 2016
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. James 4:17
As a parent of young children, I find myself often breaking up disputes and arguments. “Don’t cut your brother’s hair,” “Don’t sit on your sister’s head,” and “Don’t hit each other with the soccer ball” are all things that have come out of my mouth in the past month!
When I reflect on these moments, I realize that from a very early age we learn to associate sin with the breaking of rules and direct disobedience. And in part, this is certainly true. But I wonder if this is the full picture of what Scripture means when it says to “put on the new self,” (Eph. 4:24) and to live “in holiness and righteousness before him all our days?” (Lk. 1:75)
Sin isn’t just our active disobedience but it is also our willingness to withhold love. I’ve often heard it said that sin is a “failure to love.” At times, this failure results in explicit actions of anger, pride, and selfishness. Yet we can also fail to love without saying a word or doing a single thing!
One of my favorite prayers is a prayer of confession to God which acknowledges that we have sinned by “what we have done, and by what we have left undone.” I think it’s easy for us to identify and repent of the things we’ve done that we shouldn’t have done. This is how we as parents often speak to our kids: “Don’t!” Yet do we have the wisdom and grace to also see the things we’ve left undone that we ought to have done? This is the “Do!” of the Christian faith.
“Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty”(Job 6:14).
Every day we are invited to turn away from sin and death and to turn towards Christ and his Kingdom. Take time to reflect on your own life and look for ways that you have not only done things you shouldn’t have done, but ways that you have withheld kindness, grace, and love that you could have instead freely given. Pray today for the strength to not only avoid sin but to grow into full maturity in Christ!
Prayer
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)Application
How can you not only avoid sin but actively embrace godly and holy living?Related Reading
2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Hebrews 12:14Post/Tweet today
Sin isn’t just our active disobedience but it is also our willingness to withhold love. #WisdomHunters #faithWorship Resource
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