January 26, 2023 - Proverbs 26:11

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.” Proverbs 26:11 NLT

Lord, this verse doesn’t paint a pretty picture, but isn’t that the point. It is very disgusting when you see a dog eat his vomit. When we see it, I always wonder why you designed them to do that, but I wonder if it was just to paint this picture for us. We thank you so much for the way that you have set us free from sin and foolishness. You have broken the chains that bind us. You heal and restore the mess we make of our lives. It is such a beautiful thing that you do for us. Yet, like the dog returning to its vomit, we so often choose to return to the things that brought destruction to our lives. You wash us whiter than snow and then we choose to roll in the mud of sin again. We do this because on some level we still find those things appealing. It is vomit, and yet we desire to eat it. What a very sad picture.

Lord, we come before you and ask your forgiveness for not respecting and valuing the freedom you bought for us. Forgive us for rolling in the mud right after you clean us up. You paid such a high price to buy our freedom and wash us clean. We want to honor you and the price that you paid for us. Open our eyes and help us see sin in the same light that you see it. Let us see it for the vomit that it is. Physically turn our stomachs at that thought of partaking again. Let us be disgusted enough at our behavior to change it. Help us not to act like fools. Grow our self-control. Give us wisdom on making wise choices to stay far away from situations in which we will find ourselves tempted. Help us gain a better understanding of how you love us so that our love for you will increase. As that happens our desire to “get dirty” will naturally fade. We won’t want to do anything that will distance us from knowing more of you. More than anything we want you.

In Jesus name, amen.