Go To Confession!

"If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness." - 1st John 1:9

At the start of Lent, I urged you all to go to confession and wash away sin and the guilt and remorse it causes. Now, just a few days before the start of Holy Week, I want to urge you again if you haven't already. During this week 2,000 years ago, Jesus gave up His life so that you and I could be cleansed of the wrong we do. More importantly, His death wasn't about making us do something to make up for our sins, but to heal us from the pain of sin. God is loving and knows the regret and the heaviness that we inflict upon ourselves when we fall into things we shouldn't have. It leads to conflicts within ourselves, with others, and with God. Through confession, you are bringing to the light those things that need to be washed away, so that in the Name of Jesus Christ you can be forgiven, healed, and brought back into full communion with the Lord… no matter what you've done or how long it's been since your last confession. God is longing to forgive you and heal you.

Since it's the weekend and the start of Holy Week, churches have confession on Saturdays and during most of this week. Please call your church, go online, or look at the bulletin to find out when the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is being held. Spend time meditating on the areas in your life where you have fallen short and bring those things to the Lord.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You died for our sins on the cross and it is only right that we take full advantage of Your sacrifice by confessing our sins. Search me Lord and show me what I need to bring before You for cleansing and healing. In Your Name we pray, amen.

My Sacrifice Is a Broken Spirit

"In Your great compassion, blot out my sin. Wash me thoroughly of my guilt; cleanse me of evil. For I acknowledge my wrongdoings and have my sin ever in mind. Against You alone have I sinned; what is evil in Your sight I have done. You take no pleasure in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, You would not delight in it. O God, my sacrifice is a broken spirit; a contrite heart You will not despise." - Psalm 51: 3-6, 18-19

Examine your conscience and think about where you have sinned today. Essentially, a sin is evil because it indicates a lack of love. We fail to love our neighbors, ourselves, and most importantly, God. Remorse for a sin should cause in us great sorrow because it is a blatant betrayal of God on our part. King David expresses his great sorrow in this psalm. He had fallen in lust with a woman, slept with her and when she came out pregnant, he had her husband put in the front lines of combat so that he would surely die and he did. Maybe we haven't gone that far, but any lack of love is a serious offense and hurtful to God just the same.

Many people take confession for granted because we "enjoy" our sin, confess it, and we're "forgiven." But it does not work this way. Confession under these circumstances is a "burnt offering." If we seek true forgiveness from God and want to mend our relationship with Him, we need to really examine ourselves carefully, admit that we have done what is evil to God, and feel that pain of betrayal in our hearts. That's why David says that a broken spirit is his true sacrifice, as it should be ours. Going against God's will should break our spirits. If we are committing various sins in our lives and feel no true remorse, that is a litmus test for how our spiritual health is doing. We are spiritually dead if we continue to do things we know are wrong and seek no way to repair ourselves. But still, God is merciful and if we ask Him to help us feel repentance for these sins, no matter how big or small they may be, He will allow us to feel the pain of not doing His will.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have done what is evil in Your sight, and like King David, I offer You up my broken spirit in exchange for my sins. Help me to not look at forgiveness of sins as a way to avoid eternal punishment, but as a way to grow in perfect love and unity with You. In Your Name we pray, Amen.