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Prayer and Confession

I’m terrible with names – I mean just terrible. I can forget someone’s name mere seconds after I’ve heard it. Do you know what that’s like?

If you do, then you know what it’s like to get into a conversation with someone while grasping in the dark for their name. There’s all kinds of internal dialogue that goes on. “Maybe it’s Derrick…or is it Drake? No, I’m pretty sure it’s Derrick.” But do you risk it? How awkward will it be if you get it wrong? If you’re clever, you might find a way to trick them into saying their name in the conversation. But what if that doesn’t work either?

It’s tinged with fear, but there’s a moment that brings relief – confessing your forgetfulness. Just admitting that you don’t remember. “Sorry, but can you remind me of your name?” I’m not sure why that’s such a fearful thing to ask – I’ve never had anyone make a big deal out of it. If we just confess our forgetfulness, we can get out of the mess we’ve made and find relief.

Last week Sean started considering the Lord’s Prayer and how it calls us to adoration. This particular prayer also models another important aspect of prayer: confession. Jesus teaches us here that part of a healthy prayer life is regularly admitting our failure and weakness to God.  In Matthew 6:12, he instructs us to pray: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Isn’t that hard to do? Like admitting what we’ve forgotten, there’s something fearful about confessing our sins to God. There’s something too real about putting words to it. But there shouldn’t be! John assures us in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we confess our sins to God, he doesn’t shame us. He doesn’t punish us. He forgives us. He washes us clean and robes us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He gives us relief.

Are you tired of running? Shamed by hiding? Sick of pretending someone you’re not?

Why not just be honest? When we confess our sins to God, he’s eager to meet us. He’s eager to forgive us. So why not take a moment and confess your sins to God.

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