1 of 1

Key Bible Verse: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). Bonus Reading: Psalm 51:1-12

Sean took drugs and sold them to other kids. He befriended an elderly widow near his home, then stole her heirloom jewelry, pawned it and paid cash for a brand-new Porsche. As he'd done countless times before, Sean's dad intervened and "fixed" his son's problem.

One day at summer camp, Sean asked me if I'd go for a walk with him in the nearby woods. As we walked, he began to pour out his regret for his evil and perverse life. He asked if I'd pray with him.

We found a large fallen tree and Sean climbed up, sitting cross-legged on the log. He prayed first, and I heard words of confession and remorse. This wayward and rebellious youngster cried out to God for grace and forgiveness.

I opened my eyes to see if this really was the same young man who "hated everyone because they're all so stupid." Here's what I saw. Sean, the bad boy, was sitting in God's awesome presence with his hands and face turned upward. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, God, for the terrible things I've done," Sean prayed. "Please forgive me and help me to be new."

—Robert Wolgemuth in Daddy@Work

• Thank God today for the beauty and power of His forgiveness to heal you.

Thought to Apply:I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.

—JOHN NEWTON (slave trader turned pastor, 18th century)

Credits: Adapted from—Wednesday: Daddy@Work (Zondervan, 1999)

Copyright © 2000 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity. For reprint information click here.

To sign up for a risk-free trial issue of Men of Integrity click here.

To order multiple copies of Men of Integrity for your men's group, click here.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help