PRAYING LIKE JESUS DAY 20

CONFESSION

God removes the sin of the one who makes humble confession, and thereby the devil loses the sovereignty he had gained over the human heart. -Saint Bernard

We are free FROM sin, but we are not free OF sin.  This is a tension we walk in as believers.  As Jesus does his perfecting work in us, we can miss the mark along the way.  If we deny our sin, we are denying the truth and the sacrifice Jesus made by dying on the cross for us (see Isaiah 53:5).  Hiding our sin does nothing for us, but confession helps move us forward.  “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion”(Proverbs 28:13).

By confessing our sins, we are accepting truth.  Because Jesus is pure light, he will always cast a shadow on our sinful lives.  However, we are called to face him and walk in his light instead of hiding in the shadows of our sin. 

When we feel led to confess your sin to God, that is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.  Through his loving conviction we are made aware of our sin.  Do you see your awareness of sin agracious gift from God?  We can be thankful that God reveals our sin to us.  It is true evidence that he is working in our lives.  Once we become aware of sin, the choice is still ours to confess it to God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

What does God do when we confess our sins?  First, he promises to forgive us, to clear our debt and put us in right standing with him.  God is ready to respond to our confession with love, mercy, and grace; love that covers a multitude of sin, mercy that is new every day, and grace that delivers us.  Second, we drop the weight of sin’s entourage: guilt and shame.  So, bring your sins to God and walk in his light.  He has the power to forgive us and free us!

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you

and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

my transgressions to the Lord.”

And you forgave

the guilt of my sin.”

Psalm 32:5

Questions for contemplation

• Why do I view some things as sin that others don’t?

• What does God promise to do when we confess our sins?

• What happens if we don’t confess our sins?

Prayer points

• Lord, I confess my sins to you.  Thank you for Your promise to forgive me and free me from my sin. (1 John 1:9)

• Thank you for your fresh, new mercy for me today. (Lamentations 3:22-23)