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Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24, LSB

When we walk in Christ's faith and give ourselves over to Him, we are not meant to yearn for the sins of our past. We can still be tempted, but in Christ, we are made new, and our desires change. It is the power of the Cross on which we have placed our old self and have buried him. We have been given new life through the waters of Baptism that have washed over us and called us away from our old ways into Him. The temptations we will face are meant to lead us away from the hope and promise given to us all in our Lord. Temptation never comes from God, but He always prepares an escape so we may not become bound again in sin and shame. The great difficulty of our sinful world is the struggle often set before us as loved ones refuse to follow and walk down paths we cannot follow. It is this difficulty that may cause us to stumble and cry out as we grieve for those who turn away and deny our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, our passions and desires change and are redirected to our service toward Him and His creation. Our hearts are transformed as the stone heart of selfishness is replaced with a soft heart with a desire to bring hope to a dying world. As we turn more to our Lord for strength, we find peace and it is this peace we bring to the world.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.