“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27
Dear Lord Jesus, I can think of certain door-to-door salespeople who I wish I’d never let cross my threshold. One big toe through my front door, two minutes into their “pitch” and three minutes later I’m looking to usher them on their way, with a little redemptive rudeness. Oh that I would be that wary and wise when the devil approaches my heart and home.
Of course if the devil came knocking in a red jumpsuit, with a three-pronged pitchfork in hand, sporting 60’s looking beatnik facial hair, I’d had no problem turning him away. Unfortunately, he often comes in the backdoor through my impatience, irritation, aggravation and anger.
So my prayer today, Jesus, is about the important and dangerous emotion of anger. You’re not telling me to have done with all anger, rather in my anger, not to sin… not to give the devil a foothold through misusing a very, very important emotion. Oh, how I need the resources of the gospel both to understand what this means and to obey you in this matter.
Help me remember how it felt to be on the receiving end of “man-ish” (James 1:20) and devilish anger, especially as a child. The fear, the confusion, the shame, the ambivalence… Jesus, I would never intentionally will such crushing of the spirit on anyone…
But, Jesus, with far greater clarity and power… help me remember you. Only you can help me be angry at the right time, for the right reasons, in the right ways… only you can melt this icy tension in my heart… only you can change my rigidity into playfulness… only you can redirect the wasted energy of my anger into patience and loving-kindness… only you can replace my idol of control with a greater worship of you and submission to your purposes.
Right now, Lord Jesus, I throw open every door and window of my heart. Come on in and establish multiple footholds of mercy, grace, and compassion. I abandon myself to your beauty and bounty today. So very Amen, I pray, in your peerless and priceless name.
