Control
Job said to God: My ears had heard about you,
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore, I relent and find comfort
on dust and ashes. ~ Job 42:5-6 (CEB)
Just then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried. ~ Matthew 26:75 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Sometimes the most healing comes through our sorrow over our sin.
PRAYER:
Merciful God, you embrace us even when we fail. We even experience your loving embrace when we acknowledge our sin. But I'm slow to admit that my sin is more than I can handle. I really want to feel like I'm in control. Grant me the bold faith necessary to repent and return control of my life back to you. I'm looking forward to enjoying your healing embrace. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
