Key Bible Verse: If you … suddenly remember that someone has something against you … (Matthew 5:23-24). Bonus Reading: Psalm 38:1-8, 18

I was preaching at my dad's church while he was out of town. The sermon was about being blameless. I said something like, "If you're truly blameless, you can stand up to any scrutiny. The President could ask you to be attorney general, and you'd sail through the confirmation hearings without a glitch because your record would be clean." Just then it was like God thumped me on the back of the head, bringing an unresolved relationship to mind. I almost lost my train of thought mid-sermon. Lord, I remember thinking, this isn't the time!

A few days later, I was having my quiet time and couldn't pray. All I could think about was this man I knew God wanted me to straighten things out with. I tried to resist it. "Okay, God," I said, "You've forgiven me. Now I want to pray for Sandra and the kids … "

But that didn't work. It was like God said, "Andy, you're not blameless. You're hiding something." I remember thinking, But it's complicated and it was so long ago. It's probably no big deal by now.

But the impression was so strong, I concluded it would be a lot easier to deal with it than to continue arguing with God. [continued 2/7]

—Andy Stanley in Louder Than Words

My Response: What "unfinished business" has God been forcing into my awareness?

Adapted from Louder Than Words (Multnomah, 2004) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Forgive me, Lord, for presuming to receive deliverance from the penalty of sin without an all-out effort to cooperate with You in escaping its power.

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