A Prayer for the Week – October 27, 2020

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:20-32)

Lord teach us the put off the old self and put on the new self in the likeness of Jesus. Give us grace to train our affections toward you and your righteousness and holiness. We confess that our natural desires lead us away from you and corrupt us, so may we respond to the truth of Jesus rightly and grow in our love for you and devotion to you. Renew our minds according to your truth so that we love our neighbor as you intend and command. Work your kindness and forgiveness in our lives so that we act according to your ways in this broken and corrupted world. May our work and our words benefit others. We thank you that you forgive us in Jesus your Son and your Spirit seals us for the day of redemption. We rest in your grace and in Jesus’ work for our salvation. And we thank you for it in his name. Amen.