Restart: Stepping Out in FaithSample

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER The Scriptures say that the Word of God is “useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live” (2 Timothy 3.16). As the people of Israel heard the Word of God, it convicted them; in response, they fasted and confessed not only their sins, but also the sins of their ancestors. How this reminds us of their leader, Nehemiah, who when he first heard the news of Jerusalem’s destruction, offered prayers of confession for himself and his ancestors! When our hearts are being cleansed by God’s Word, time does not seem to matter. Hours pass, but an audience with God, through prayer, transcends the form and function we are often exposed to during our regular worship experience. Such a fellowship allows us to bare our souls before God; to lay prostrate before him until repentance gives way to a renewed relationship and the pursuit of holiness. Confession often precedes repentance. Describe what a national day of repentance would look like. How does the text say the people expressed themselves after confession? Do you follow this pattern? Identify an area of your life that needs to be addressed spiritually. Plan a time of fasting and confession. End your time with a period of worship. Pray: Search me, O Lord, and know my heart. Cleanse me from any hidden sins and set me free.