Read: Psalm 32:1-5; Matthew 6:9-13

Robin knelt at the foot of her bed and bowed her head to pray. It was hard to focus with her little sister, Jenny, screaming in the bathroom.

“No! I don’t want to brush my teeth!” Jenny cried.

Mom poked her head into Robin’s room, a tired smile on her face. “Robin, could Jenny and I pray with you? Maybe we can pray that Jenny will want to brush her teeth.”

Robin nodded, and her sister raced into the room and sat beside her, suddenly an angel. “Dear Jesus,” Robin said. “Thank You for helping me with my math homework and healing Grandma from her fall. Please bless all my friends and family. Help us have a good night’s sleep. Amen.”

“Amen!” Jenny exclaimed.

“Robin, did you forget something?” Mom asked.

“Oh, right. Jesus, please help Jenny brush her teeth without complaining. Amen.”

Mom smiled. “Just one more thing. Do you remember how Jesus taught us how to pray? In addition to thanking God and bringing our needs to Him, we also need to confess our sins.”

Robin sighed. “I just don’t see the point in asking Jesus to forgive my sins every single day. I’ll still make mistakes tomorrow.”

“Admitting our wrongs is about more than preventing future mistakes,” Mom replied.

Jenny tugged on Mom’s sleeve. “Bedtime?”

Robin laughed. “Nice try, Jenny. But you have to brush your teeth.”

“Why does she need to brush her teeth?” Mom asked Robin.

“Because her teeth are dirty and she might get cavities if she waits too long to clean them.”

“But her teeth will be dirty again tomorrow,” Mom said. “And every day after that. Maybe the whole thing is pointless.”

“It’s still healthier to brush her teeth daily,” Robin said. Then she laughed. “You’re not talking about brushing teeth, are you?”

“You caught me,” Mom said. “Confessing our sins reminds us of our need for Jesus and helps us appreciate what He did to save us. Prayer is meant to bring us closer to Jesus in this way.”

Robin turned to Jenny. “If I confess my sins to Jesus, will you finally brush your teeth?”

Jenny sighed dramatically. “Okay, fine.”

–Hannah Chung

How about you?

Today's Key Verse:

Today's Key Thought: