Military Devotion – About Face – September 25, 2026

There he was, a grown man sitting in my office, and he was sobbing. He was a veteran of our nation’s military and was successful with his career. He was now serving as a civilian and was doing well there, too, but that day, he sat in my office sobbing. He said, “Pastor Horn, I am embarrassed. I’m ashamed to even be sitting here talking to you, but I don’t know who else to talk to because I’m just stuck. I have sinned and I don’t know what to do, but I know something needs to change.” 

It was his computer and the Internet and pornography. . . and he realized how much it consumed his time, how it turned him into a liar and someone who would sneak away and hide so he could watch. It was affecting his marriage with his wife and his relationship with his children and the way that he interacted with his coworkers and his neighbors. He knew something needed to change. What was he to do? 

The LORD said through his prophet Ezekiel:  

Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD (Ezekiel 18:30-32).  

This man did what the Lord has called us to do, to repent. The way the Bible describes repentance is like receiving an order for an “about face,” to completely turn around. Repentance is recognizing sin for what it is—an offense against God—and to be sincerely sorry for that offensive thing and to turn away from it. If you do an “about face” away from sin, you need to turn toward something else. 

I helped this man who sat in my office sobbing to do an “about face” from his sin and guilt to Christ, and helped him see Christ’s cross, and said to him, “My brother, your sin is forgiven for Christ has put it to death. And look! See in the waters of your baptism that Jesus has drowned that sin. He has washed you. He has cleansed you. And look here! I have bread and wine through which Christ makes his body and blood truly present for the forgiveness of your sins!” And right there we celebrated the Lord’s supper together. We laughed and we cried and did this “about face” together.  

If you’re going to do this “about face,” then it also means living with the new heart and the new life Jesus has created in you. So, we put a plan together for that new life. We set boundaries. We found resources to help him and people he could call so that when he struggled and fought against the lie of pornography, he had a solid foundation to help him walk the way that God would have a man and a husband and a father and a coworker and a friend to walk.  

What is it for you? What thing have you done that you are embarrassed or ashamed to talk about? My friend, repent so that you might not die but live. Talk to a chaplain, a pastor, a friend, and confess your sin and then be ashamed no more. Do that “about face” and turn to Christ and his cross and see, my friend, that you are forgiven! No matter what it is that you have done, go to the waters of your baptism and see there that your sin has been drowned. See that Christ has created in you a new heart and given you a new life!  

So go now and do that “about face” and walk in the life that is truly life, life in Christ.  

Heavenly Father, you call us to turn away from our sinful ways and live. Give us the courage to make an “about face” when we have wandered from you. Turn our hearts away from pride, bitterness, lust, greed, and selfishness, and turn them toward you. For our military members, give strength to those facing difficult missions, lonely nights, and demanding orders. Remind us that true life is found not in ourselves, but in you. Create in us repentant hearts and help us to rest in the forgiveness won at the cross. Then, may we walk with new hearts in the new life you give to us. Amen.