Prayer: Confession
“I have sinned against you. Please forgive me.” Words that are easy to hear, read, and even think, but are often some of the most difficult to speak. They are especially difficult to give voice to when we are caught in a pattern of self-justification. The self-justifying Christian, like the Galatian believers, starts out by grace but then trusts in religious effort for their ongoing good standing before God (Gal. 3:1-5).
Like Nehemiah, we are to be people who are quick to confess. When Nehemiah hears of the destruction of the walls of Jerusalem and the disgrace of its people, his heart and mind immediately cry out in confession to God. Nehemiah wasn’t depending on the good performance of God’s people as the basis for God’s kindness toward them. Instead, Nehemiah reminds himself of God’s gracious promises toward the people as the basis for his hope.
When you have failed, what is the basis for your hope? Are you quick to confess to God, throwing yourself on his mercy and grace, or are you crushed by the feeling that you aren’t doing enough to keep God happy? Whether you are trusting in God or are caught up in self-justification, there is good news for you today: nothing in all creation can separate you from the love of God that is yours in Christ! No matter your response to your last failure, your next response can be a faith-filled confession, freely admitting your sin and fully relying on the grace of God for your good standing before him!
Prayer/Challenge
God, I have sinned against you. Please forgive me. Help me rely on your grace and not my religious works for my good standing before you.
