Wednesday: WORDS OF WISDOM

Mar 22, 2023
2 min read

This week, I am exploring what God says about CONFESSION. As I enter prayer now, I reflect on God’s instruction, “’I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Lord, teach me today about confession.

I want to be obedient to the grace You give to me, so my heart can be full of Your Holy Spirit.

Let me consider the Word of God from James 5:13-16

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Words of wisdom come in many forms. When I am in trouble, my heart grows anxious and tired. A prayer to the Lord refreshes my soul and helps me to know that He is in control.

When I am happy, I share my joy with others. By singing songs of praise, I rejoice in the Lord and invite others to rejoice with me.

When I am sick, I seek healing. I call near to me those who are near to the Lord; they lift me in prayer and anoint me with oil. The Lord hears their sacrificial offerings of prayer and raises the sick person. No matter what the cause of my trouble or my sickness, if I confess my sins, they will be forgiven. While I am commanded to confess my sins to God, I must also confess them to one another. A confession to another tells them what is in my heart and allows them to pray for me.

Lord, may Your joy come to me as I confess my sins before You and others.

Heal my heart, so I can return to You rejoicing as before.

As others hear my confession and pray for me, the Lord invites them to take part in my healing. I confess their prayers result in conviction in my heart, and the Lord heals me through forgiveness. Through my faith, I see how the Lord blesses each of us to do His will. After praying with a troubled heart or with a body full of sickness, the Lord restores me to rejoicing in His name with those He sent to surround me with His grace.

Lord, thank You for sending Your children to surround me in my time of need. I am blessed by their prayers, which are powerful and effective. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman