Confession

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

One of my favorite things about fire station life is sitting around the table sharing life. Every morning and evening we (hopefully) share a meal together and talk. We solve the world's problems, vent, and laugh. We talk about anything and everything rather frankly. 

As believers in Christ, James tells us to confess our sins to each other. For some reason this is something extremely hard for those of us who are truly trying to follow Christ. Before we were in Christ we had no problem boasting about our sins. We actually wore them as a badge of honor. My Protestant children had no clue what the above picture is. When asked, one said, "A coffin?" True Biblical confession is a lost art.

We don't confess our sins because we don't want to admit our faults and failures, because they really become true once the words leave our mouths. We may feel that we are weaker and less than. Maybe we fear judgment. Some of us have been vulnerable before and a trusted friend used those words of confession against us. Whatever the reason, we must all remember that we are all sinners(Romans 3:23), and our temptations are common to us all(1 Corinthians 10:13).

James says that healing comes from our confessions. We don't have to carry the weight of our guilt and shame. We don't have to let it keep us from church and away from God. That weight causes so much inner turmoil which can lead to anxiety, depression, and isolation. Christ desires for us to be free. We all need that one person with whom we can share our deepest darkest secrets. That person who will then pray for us and encourage us to follow Christ and keep us accountable. Who is that person for you? Chances are that person is struggling with the same things you are and will not treat you like you have the plague. Let us find our people and in turn our healing in confession.

-Be Blessed,

Senior Captain Bobby Delgado

HFD Chaplain

Love Your Enemies

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." -Jesus in Matthew 5:44

There are some things written in the Bible that I don't particularly care to listen to or follow. That whole love your enemy and pray for them bit is at the top of my list. Jesus must have been high or misquoted on that one. Who does that? Who wants to show love, be kind, and pray for those who have hurt us?

What we really want is to get revenge. We want our enemies and opponents to feel the pain we feel. We know that no good can come from evening the score. The vicious cycle of revenge will just continue. Jesus in His infinite wisdom asks us to end that cycle.

If we wanted to pray for those who have wronged us, we would probably pray that God would strike them with lightning or fire and brimstone served up Old Testament style. Instead, we should pray that God would change their hearts. We should pray that God would give us the strength to forgive. We should pray that God would heal the hurts in their hearts that have caused them to lash out at us and others. 

The Lord Jesus on the cross got a chance to practice what He preached. As he was suffering unimaginable pain inflicted on Him by the Romans, he prayed for them. "Father forgive them..." Jesus doesn't ask us to do anything He hasn't done himself.

Who is your enemy? Is it a boss, an ex, a spouse, a neighbor, a classmate, or a politician? How can you show them kindness? How can you pray for them? Jesus gives us the key to end the cycle and heal the anger and bitterness we harbor in our hearts towards our enemies: Love and Pray. Be blessed.

-Captain Bobby Delgado, HFD Chaplain