DAILY MAINTENANCE
#3 of 7 devotions in Salvation series
1John 1:8-9
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Maintenance (MANE-ten-ans means preserving, caring for, repairing). This is how people guard what’s important to them. Ten-year-old Jeremy was maintaining his ten-speed bicycle outside his house.
“What’re you doing?” classmate and friend Brad asked when he rode up to Jeremy’s house.
Stooping down, Jeremy squirted a couple drops of oil onto the gear chain. “Just giving her a drink, Brad” Jeremy said. “The chain began squeaking. And you know that they say, ‘A squeaky wheel gets the oil.’”
That’s an old saying. It often refers to loud noises that need attending in order for something to run smoothly. Some things require daily maintenance in order to stay in good working order. Every believer in Jesus has daily maintenance duties, too. Jesus gave His disciples what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13. Prayer is daily maintenance God looks for from His children: daily communication.
The first phrases address God. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We name Him ‘Father.’ We agree to honor His sacred holy name. We eagerly await His kingdom to come. We also recognize the universe runs according to His will; not our own.
The next part is about us. “Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Adam and Eve introduced sin when they disobeyed God. Ever since, sin is a fact of human life. Our daily maintenance is to confess that sin—and—forgive other’s sins against us.
Jesus’ death paid the price for our sins. Believers in Him can look forward to an eternity in His presence—life—instead of getting the punishment we deserve for our sins—death. That’s God’s grace.
Yet, we must deal with the result of our sins. The Lord wants us to admit our sins every day. So we confess them, asking for forgiveness. This maintenance is important. Grace is not license to continue sinning—nor should we pray without thinking. The Lord’s Prayer is a blueprint for us to pray praise, requests, and adoration to our heavenly Father.
Take Home Nugget
“For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, Amen.” The last phrase is worship, adapted from 1 Chronicles 29:11, since people didn’t like ending the prayer with reference to the devil.
God knows everything we’ve done—
From Him you cannot hide;
Confession yields forgiveness we’ve won
Through Christ the crucified.
J.D. Griffith
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