136 Sermon Illustrations on Confession

It is sad to say, and yet I am convinced that I am right, some people who seek counseling today, do not seek truth, they seek someone to affirm some error.

C. S. Lewis pointed this out many years ago. “Much of the time” he said, “when we say, ‘Please forgive me,’ what we’re really asking is, ‘Please excuse me.’ We’re not asking for forgiveness, but to be excused. We don’t want to admit that what we did was wrong; we simply want to be let off the hook.

But God does not offer to excuse us; He offers to forgive us. And the first step toward receiving His forgiveness is to admit that we have sinned. No excuses, no justifications. We simply say, ‘Lord, I have offended You by my actions. I have chosen to displease You, and I have dishonored Your holy name by what I have done. I have sinned.’”

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #22571]

Confession: it's the way home when you've lost your way.

___________________

I was riding the train home from the city late one Friday evening when a woman rushed toward the conductor. “What stop is this?” she asked, desperation in her voice.

“Lake Station,” he answered calmly.

Terror spread across her face. “Oh, no! I’ve missed my stop!” She frantically looked out the train windows for a sign of anything familiar that might suggest it was not too late to get off. Instead, all she could see was a blur of unfamiliar storefronts and a parade of dim streetlights rushing past.

A fellow commuter offered her the business card of a local taxi company.

“But where will I find a phone?” she pleaded. “I have no idea where I am.” Several passengers tried to assure her there was a phone just across the tracks at the depot. In a few moments the train rumbled to a stop. As I got off, I saw the frightened woman stumble across the tracks, clutching the taxi card in both hands.

I caught sight of our family van, its soft interior lighting tracing the silhouette of my wife and children. I opened the door and dropped into one of our four captain’s chairs. “There’s a woman who missed her stop and seems terribly upset,” I told Cheryl. “She’s trying to call a taxi.”

My wife stared out into the dark, deserted parking lot and said, “Let’s wait here until her cab arrives.” Suddenly the woman appeared from around the corner of the depot, her head in her hands. Sobbing loudly, she was headed toward the park across the street.

Cheryl and I looked at one another, nodded in agreement, then opened the van door. “Would you like us to give you a ride back to your train stop?” we asked. The woman glanced up from her tears and looked us over carefully. Slowly she walked toward our door. “We’d be glad to take you back to Central Station if you’d like,” we repeated. She peered inside, saw our three children in the back seat, then cautiously climbed in.

By the time we pulled into the Central Station parking lot, she was laughing, telling us about her recent move from Nebraska, and promising to do a good deed to someone else. In less than 10 minutes a frightened, lonely, and confused woman had become a confident, outgoing, thankful person.

WHEN WE MISS OUR STATION

The frightened woman’s experience on the train could be a useful metaphor to help us understand the powerful, transforming effect of confession on our lives. When we sin, the Bible tells us we literally “miss the mark” of God’s standard for our life. After disobedience we can experience an array of disturbing emotions. How could I have done that? Where am I now in my life? What’s happening to me? At that point, many of us would like to go back to where we “missed the mark,” but it’s too late. The train of events and consequences is rushing on, unmercifully carrying us to places we never wanted to go.

Yet that’s exactly where the power and freedom of confession can transform our life. When we agree with God that we have sinned and seek His forgiveness, we begin to experience the grace and mercy of Christ.

The Bible puts it this way, “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). In our fear and despair, we catch sight of One willing to take us back to the place we wanted to be all along.

THE ROAD HOME

So what does it feel like to go back? The Bible gives in the person of Daniel a powerful illustration of the newfound joy and freedom that confession brings. This prophet found himself in a situation remarkably similar to the hapless woman on my train. In 605 B.C., Daniel and a number of other young nobles from Jerusalem were hauled off in chains hundreds of miles to Babylon.

Though the Bible accurately portrays Daniel as a righteous man, he recognized he was far from sinless. He openly confessed he, too, had sinned and needed forgiveness (Dan. 9:20).

Whatever Daniel’s failings, the spiritual condition of Israel was far, far worse. For centuries, the people had engaged in shameless idolatry, immoral-ity, and apostasy. The day finally arrived when God’s patience ended and Jeru-salem was overrun by the armies of Babylon. Daniel and his colleagues remained in captivity for nearly 68 years.

Near the end of that time, however, Daniel came across a scroll written by a great prophet: “I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jeru-salem would last seventy years” (Dan. 9:2). Hope suddenly spread across Daniel’s aged face; he might be able to go home in just two years.

Daniel’s next move can be instructive for all of us: “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong’”(9:3-5).

Daniel knew the way home was through confession. If he and his people were ever to leave Babylon, they would have to own up to their sins and seek God’s forgiveness. While Daniel was still in prayer, God sent an angel, Gabriel. “He instructed me and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed (9:22-23).’”

Confession brings numerous blessings into our lives: a clear conscience, reconciled relationships, and the freedom to go on with our lives. But Daniel discovered additional benefits: God answers our prayers in a swift manner, God is free to share with us new insights and understanding as to what He is doing in our lives, and He bestows on us a wonderful sense of esteem.

LET THE RIVER RUN FREE

Daniel discovered that confession brings answers to prayer in a swift manner. Unconfessed sin can frustrate and hamper our prayer life. The heavens can seem “made of brass.” Yet when we agree with God concerning our wrongdoing, the channels of our heart are suddenly cleared. We again begin to experience answers to prayer.

What happens to us is similar to an incident at Niagara Falls in the late 1940s. An early spring thaw had broken up the ice on Lake Erie into large flows that created an ice jam at the mouth of the Niagara River. For nearly two days it prevented water from entering the river. Niagara Falls went dry, and an eerie silence descended on the frightened residents of the city. When the ice jams eventually broke up, the effect was awe-inspiring. Hundreds of millions of gallons of water exploded down the river bed and were hurled over the falls.

When we confess our sin to God, the rivers of our heart begin to flow again. Our spiritual and emotional vitality is reawakened. The joy and energy of our faith cascades through our heart. As D.L. Moody put it, when we confess our sins and are reconciled to God and others, “we can go out as giants and take on the whole world.”

I once attended a prayer meeting at the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City. That evening, as I sat among some 1,500 people gathered for prayer, God showed me areas of my life where my heart had grown cold and indifferent. As I wept in confession and repentance, I felt someone step up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. It was one of the pastors. He prayed a short prayer for me, then went on.

By the time the meeting was over, I experienced a resurgence of joy and power I had not known in months, possibly years. Confession had allowed the channels of my heart to clear. In the days to come, Christ was so real to me, words could hardly express my joy. That evening, God had come in “swift flight” in answer to my prayers.

A NEW SENSE OF GOD’S WILL

Confession also gives God an opportunity to share fresh insights and understanding with us. Daniel was given a vision of Israel’s future so sweeping and powerful that he was overcome. While our confession does not bring insight on the same scale, it does tend to remove the fog and confusion about our future. The direction of our life seems more certain. The will of God takes on a more distinct focus.

“Steve” struggled for years with his thought life. His battle with lust often left him confused, anxious, and unfocused. Then, at a retreat, Steve discovered the healing in confession. He realized the enormous cost he was paying for his private sin. He also understood the promise of God’s Word, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

That weekend Steve admitted his problem to God. He renounced the place he had given to lust in his life. He asked God to clear his life of the distraction and confusion of sin. Today, just about everyone who knows Steve would agree that he is more joyful, focused, and energetic about God’s will for his life than any time they’ve seen.

Confession brought Steve clarity, focus, and direction. Following God’s will for his life is now a daily reality for him.

THE GIFT OF HONOR

Confession also brings the exhilaration of knowing God’s esteem for us. As believers in Christ, we know God always loves us with unconditional love. Yet when we sin, we often experience a sense of sadness, even shame, knowing that our wrongful actions have interrupted our fellowship with God.

That’s why confession is so important. It assures us of the esteem and honor God wishes to bestow on our lives. When Daniel confessed his sin and his people’s sin, the angel told him, “You are highly esteemed” (Dan. 9: 23).

Years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to spend an entire summer at an urban church in Ohio. An atmosphere of esteem for one another permeated the church. Students, older members, and singles all were encouraged by the pastor to stand and be recognized for their accomplishments such as a scholarship to a university, an anniversary, or a new job. A hard-working choir member who helped raise a significant amount of money to buy new music was even given a simple crown to wear for one Sunday.

I had my own experience of receiving esteem from that beautiful group of believers. As a newcomer I was invited one Sunday to a young couple’s home for lunch. When I sat down to eat, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The wife had prepared not one, but three main courses. I kept looking for others guests to arrive, but slowly it dawned on me, They did all this just for me.

That summer I learned valuable lessons in what it means to esteem one another. Yet even better than the honor and respect this small, urban church accorded its members and guests is the esteem we receive from God when we confess our sins. We can face each new day with the comforting knowledge that God is honoring our life. Despite the difficulty, rejection, and even disrespect we may experience from others, we can rest in the knowledge that we are highly esteemed in the eyes of God.

THE WAY BACK

Sooner or later, all of us miss our stop. The good news is there’s a way back to the station. The transformation that can take place in our life after we’ve confessed our sins is no less than amazing: faith replaces fear, certainty replaces doubt, and honor replace shame. It’s an exciting journey.

If you’ve lost your way, the door to God’s mercy and grace is open. Why not get in and go home?

__________

Bob Moeller is a pastor and author, as well as radio host of The Marriage Minute, a daily program on the Moody Broadcasting Network. He and his wife, Cheryl, have recently released Marriage Minutes: Inspirational Readings You Can Share with Your Spouse (Moody Press).

*

A. In His Holy Temple

1. Psalm 11:4 (NKJV):

a. The LORD is in His holy temple,

b. The LORD’S throne is in heaven;

c. His eyes behold,

d. His eyelids test the sons of men.

2. Jehovah …

a. is in His holy temple … and we come to Him in prayer

b. is in heaven … and we wander in with earth clinging to us

c. beholds our failings … and casually we lay out our needs

3. Confession of … sorrow and penitence for sin

a. how often it seems to be missing in our corporate and private prayer!

b. the pastoral prayer should lead the people in confession but it seems to be but a few quick words before passing on to the next request on the prayer list; consider, by way of contrast the general confession of the congregation in the book of common prayer: “Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises decalared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; Thus we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.”

c. our public confession need not (should not!!!) be explicit, detailed, graphic or sensational; but it needs to be sincere, heartfelt and looking for cleansing — this is the kind of confession that will lead to the personal and corporate revival of God’s people.

If we are already forgiven, then why does Jesus teach us to pray, “Forgive us our debts”?

The very reason you would want your children to do the same. If my children violate one of my standards or disobey a rule, I don't disown them. I don't kick them out of the house or tell them to change their last name. But I do expect them to be honest and apologize. And until they do, the tenderness of our relationship will suffer. The nature of the relationship won't be altered, but the intimacy will.

The same happens in our walk with God. Confession does not create a relationship with God, it simply nourishes it. If you are a believer, admission of sins does not alter your position before God, but it does enhance your peace with God.

*

[Original illustration here was a duplicate in HolwickID 25837-26027]

When I was a little girl I hated wearing shoes. As a matter of fact, I still hate wearing shoes. But during childhood I looked forward to the first day of summer because it meant two things. First, I did not have to attend school and second, I did not have to wear shoes unless I wanted to. Every morning I ran outside to play with friends, leaving shoes and socks behind.

Those first few days of summer were always a painful shock to my tender feet because the “playground” was a gravel road running beside our house on the edge of town. At the end of each day my feet would be grimy and filthy, often bruised and sometimes slightly bloody. Even now I can remember the pain those razor-sharp rocks inflicted every June. But I knew that within a couple of weeks, my feet would grow callused and tough. It would not be long before running down that gravel road didn’t hurt at all — the pain of the early summer days a distant memory.

Sin works the same way. The first time we commit a sin it really bothers us. We feel guilty and mourn the fact that we have grieved the heart of God. If we allow sin to settle into our lives, refusing to confess it, that sin hardens our heart and builds spiritual calluses in our soul. When we become comfortable with our sin we are walking in enemy territory and setting ourselves up for spiritual discouragement and failure.

1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done. (NCV)

This verse was written to believers as an encouragement to deal with sin and a promise that when we do so, God will be faithful to forgive us and clean up the mess that sin has caused. We are not perfect – just forgiven. To experience that forgiveness fully we need to keep short books on sin. That means being sensitive to sin and immediately choosing to do something about it.

God is serious about sin. We need to be as well.

1. We must confess sin continually. “Confess” means to agree with. It is a present tense verb meaning that we must confess sin frequently, without stopping.

2. We must confess sin completely. We commit sins one by one. We need to confess them one by one as well.

3. We must confess our sin confidently. Once we confess sin we can put it behind us. God is just and fair – seeking only one payment for sin. Jesus has already made full and complete payment with His death on the cross.

One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to resurrect buried sin. Wrapping that confessed transgression in his vain taunts and useless accusations, the enemy hauls it back into focus, hoping that guilt will paralyze and imprison a soul set free. Impossible — without our permission! But how often do we believe his empty lies — and by doing so, grant him access to that which he has no right? To break the hold of sin, we can and must stand against the enemy, trusting not in our feelings but in the facts of God’s word. And those facts are unchanging and crystal clear – when we confess sin, God forgives it.

My prayer for today: Father, do not let me ever forget the price you paid for my sin. Thank you for the forgiveness and freedom you purchased with your death on the cross. Bring swift awareness and conviction when I sin. Give me the strength and power to deal with and turn from the sin in my life. For your glory and in your name I pray. Amen!

Application steps:

Set aside time each day to pray and study His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of every sin that stands between you and God. Confess that sin. Choose against it and walk on in His power and forgiveness.

Reflection points:

• What sin do I need to confess right now?

• Why have I held on to this sin?

• What effect has this sin had on my life?

• What changes do I need to make in order to “turn” from my sin?

• Do I really believe that God can and will forgive this sin? Why? Why not?

Power verses:

Psalm 32:5

James 4:7

Psalm 66:18

Mark 11:25

Psalm 103:12

Proverbs 28:13

"If we confess our sins" ... The biggest word in Scriptures just might be that two letter one, if. For confessing sins - admitting failure - is exactly what prisoners of pride refuse to do. "Me a sinner? Oh sure, I get rowdy every so often, but I'm a pretty good ol' boy."

"Listen, I'm just as good as the next guy. I pay my taxes..... "

Justification. Rationalization. Comparison..... They sound good. They sound familiar. They even sound American. But in the kingdom, they sound hollow... .

When you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option ... then cast all your cares on him for he is waiting.

Father, have mercy on our hardened hearts. Forgive us for being witnesses of your majesty and yet living like you did not exist. Teach us the meaning of repentance.

There’s a Peanuts cartoon that I’ve kept for years that I think speaks to this text.

In the first frame, Lucy is standing next to a tree. Looking up, she shouts to Linus, “What are you doing in that tree?”

Linus answers from the branches of the tree, “Looking for something.” Then he adds, “Can you see Snoopy? We climbed up here together, but now I don’t see him.”

Lucy unsympathetically shouts back up the tree, “Beagles can’t climb trees.” The next frame shows Snoopy falling out of the tree right on his head with a loud “klunk.” “You’re right!” Snoopy concludes.

Then Lucy lets Snoopy have it, “You stupid Beagle, what are you doing climbing around in a tree?” Snoopy’s sore head is still spinning.

Linus interrupts from the tree, “Don’t yell at him… We’re trying to find a strange creature in a nest… “

Lucy walks off saying, “You’re both crazy! Go ahead and knock yourselves out! I couldn’t care less!!”

Then Snoopy with his head still sore and spinning things, “Rats… I was hoping for a hug!”

When we’ve been stupid and we have hurt ourselves we generally like to be hugged. Children know this; snoopy knew it; but we adults sometimes get it wrong. We don’t like to admit our faults. God help us if there are a lot of Lucy’s around. Jesus looks out over the city of Jerusalem, badly in need of divine comfort. In their stupidity they have killed the Prophets and stoned the messengers of God. They need to experience God’s forgiveness but they are doing it again. Jesus has come with a word of grace and they will not listen. As a result the house of Israel will be left desolate.

This is an open letter addressed to someone who exists in the collective experience of people I’ve had the privilege of knowing and learning from over the years.

Dear Aaron,

I hope you are doing well. I miss our conversations about life, religion, and the Chicago Cubs. Even more, I regret that we haven’t kept in touch after your move to Philadelphia.

I’m writing now because time has changed my thoughts on a subject we used to disagree about, and I owe you an update.

Aaron, you used to say that “Church people aren’t better than anyone else; they just think they are. The best people I know never darken the door of a church.”

Even though I argued with you at the time, you helped me see that people who build hospitals, orphanages, and rescue missions in the name of Christ aren’t the only ones working for the benefit of humanity. I remember the letters to the editor you wrote, and the streets you walked, to protest the wrongs of racism, the evils of war, and the pollution of the environment.

Since the last time we talked, I’ve traveled enough internationally to see the hospitality and goodwill of people of non-Christian cultures. In other countries, as in our own, I’ve seen that a person doesn’t have to believe in Christ to be loving, gracious, and even heroic in the face of human need.

Such experiences over the years have reminded me of the disbelief I saw in your eyes when I talked to you about becoming “a new person in Christ.” I remember the questions you asked when I quoted the words of the apostle Paul, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” You told me you didn’t buy it, that you had grown up in the church, and knew firsthand that these were not people for whom all things had become new.

Well, Aaron, enough time has passed that I am able to understand more clearly what you were saying. Along the way I’ve seen enough in myself and in others to give me second thoughts about what I had said to you. Somewhere along the line I started asking questions: “If believing in Christ changes people’s hearts-why are His followers unable to sustain the “first love” and enthusiasm of their relationship with Christ? Why do so many eventually struggle with personal bitterness, church conflict, troubled marriages, investment scandals, anxiety disorders, and a whole spectrum of addictive behaviors? Why does faith in Christ produce changes that are more like the honeymoon phase of a marriage than a lasting change in life?

At this point, I admit that my spiritual journey has run parallel to what I’ve learned in marriage. What doesn’t change in either is the human baggage we bring into both. The independent inclinations that were a part of me before and after marriage were also a part of me before and after I put my faith in Christ. The self-centeredness that makes it difficult for me to hear the concerns of my wife also makes it hard for me to hear the voice of Christ living in me.

It took time for me to discover that in salvation and in marriage, growth and maturity would not come automatically or easily. In both cases, I was not prepared for what turned out to be the greatest challenges of my life. What I didn’t realize beforehand is that the biggest enemy I would ever face would be my own unchanged inclination toward self-centeredness.

I don’t mean to understate all the wonderful sides of marriage or conversion. But I can see now how wrong my expectations had been. I had looked to salvation to make me good, as I had looked to marriage to make me happy. I didn’t see that in both cases my own human nature would stack the deck against me if I didn’t do whatever it took to let the Spirit of Christ live His life in me.

Aaron, as I look back on some of our conversations, it’s clear that I was wrong in assuming that my whole life had changed through faith in Christ. It didn’t occur to me that whenever the Bible encourages us to love, or to pray, or to think and speak honestly, it is because we are so inclined to do just the opposite.

Yes, Aaron, my thinking has changed a lot since the last time we talked. Life has been a lot harder than I expected. Too often I have underestimated the diligence needed to let Christ make a difference in me.

I can now see more clearly that upon a couple’s public confession, a minister declares a man and woman married, but not mature. And, upon an individual’s faith in Christ, God declares us righteous in Christ, but not good in ourselves. In both cases there is a huge difference between the legal declaration and resulting quality of life.

I now believe that church people, in their best moments, have a lot in common with members of a 12-step recovery group. They attend meetings and work the program, not because they are better than others but because they know they need God and one another to overcome the problems that would ruin their lives.

I only wish, Aaron, that I had understood years ago why so many people like me reflect far more of ourselves than of who we are, and could be, in Him.

Thanks for listening. I’d love to know where you are in your own spiritual journey. If you are inclined, drop me a line, either by letter or e-mail. I hope you’ll find that I’m more ready to listen and less likely to defend the moral superiority of anyone other than the One who died for us.

A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.

“I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss's wife and taken illegal drugs. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full good and loving people.”

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. “I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived,” said the politician. “In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to him in confession.”

Moral: DON'T EVER BE LATE

*

A retiree who had a guilty conscience for 80 years over planting a firecracker on a railway track has turned himself in to police.

Helmut Bleibtreu, 84, from Herne in Germany, had planted the firecracker on a track at his local railway station in 1926, and ran off when he was spotted by railway police.

But he said he had been tormented with guilty feelings ever since over the only bad thing he had ever done - and decided to turn himself in.

He went to the local police station and confessed, asking officers if they still had a file on the case open and asking what his punishment would be.

Police however have told him the offence, which was never reported, had in any case passed the statute of limitations and he would not be facing any charges.

They did however warn him not to do it again.

________

Source: Ananova, http://www.ananova.com

I once lived in a house with an accommodating layout for a child hoping to escape punishment. If I dared to run away from the spanking I knew was coming, this house made it seem like a valid plan. A large wall served as a partition between the rooms, such that the kitchen and dining room were on one side while the living room and sunroom were on the other. Thus, I could essentially run in endless circles -- my little legs one step ahead of the parent on my trail.

Of course, this split-second strategy always backfired. While I might have eluded capture for a short time, punishment was inevitable -- and probably worse for trying to escape parental hands. But the attempt to run always ended with a troubling dilemma. I knew I couldn’t run forever; yet once I started running, I was afraid to stop.

For some reason, this escape scenario remains a vivid picture for me. Oddly, I’m not entirely sure it is a stunt I duplicated more than once; it seems I would have quickly learned of its ineffectiveness. Even so, the dilemma wrought from running in circles seems a vivid memory. From time to time, the image of my futile escape plan still comes boldly to mind.

It is this picture that surfaces when I begin to feel distant from God. Whether I have been disobedient or I have simply been absent, once again I am a child in that old house running away from the hand of a disciplining parent. Once more I am struck with the dread of an impossible dilemma, afraid to stop running but knowing with each circle I am only making it worse. I want to return to God’s presence; I want for all things to be restored. But I find myself unable to face the one I’ve disappointed, unable to face up to my offenses.

The psalmist calls for an entirely different approach between child and Father. Facing the impossible dilemma of his own sin, David did not choose to run from God. He fell instead on his knees, facing his offenses and inadequacies -- facing the face of God. With a broken heart, he approached the one he disappointed. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.... For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:1-3). Grieving his sin and remembering his God, David discovered the tender and vulnerable worship that is fashioned within a broken heart. And he discovered how deeply pleasing it was to the one he had sinned against: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). The heart most open toward God is a heart that is broken before Him.

Contrition is a word we now use infrequently, though it remains a powerful call to one of the deepest places of worship. As David discovered, it is not an easy call to answer; it runs counter to our instinct to run, calling us instead to come near with a broken heart. The word “contrite” derives from the Latin word CONTRITUS, meaning pulverized or ground to pieces. While this may be exactly the fearful condition we seek to avoid, in the willful act of allowing our hearts to be broken in pieces by our own sin, God’s mercy is nearest. The shattered soul is far closer to wholeness than the one who refuses to return to the Father. To be contrite of heart is to stop running and to turn without fear to the one on our pursuit.

Oscar Wilde was a soul familiar with the entangling circles of sin. Like me, he at times followed fear or instinct and kept running; other times he found himself compelled to stop and face his sin in the presence of God. In a poem written after his release from prison, he spoke plainly of what broke his dizzying cycles.

Ah! happy they whose hearts can break

And peace of pardon win!

How else may man make straight his plan

And cleanse his soul from Sin?

How else but through a broken heart

May Lord Christ enter in?

The willful heartache of a child that knows she has fallen short is a heart that is open to the embrace of the Father. In God’s house, we need not run in fear.

________

Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

The Levites in Nehemiah 9 teach us how to confess. Notice how specific they are: “We did wrong. We did not pay attention to your laws. We did not hear your words,” etc. Some Christians think they are confessing whey they say,

Lord, if I have injured any soul today,

If I have caused some foot to go astray,

If I have walked in my own willful way,

Dear Lord, forgive.

But that is not confession. There is no “if” in true confession. You do not say, “If I did this...” You say, “Lord, I did it. I failed. I turned aside. I forgot your Word. I walked in my own willful way.”

Then God hears, forgives and restores. That is his gracious nature. That is what he wants to do.

For the earliest believers, confession was a way remembering all they had witnessed. Before God they declared: “You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea. You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh.... You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day” (Nehemiah 9:9-10). Before one another they remembered: “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Whereas we might view the confessions of the church today as formal treatises or ancient documents, the intent was the same: We confess what we need to remember, what we long to remember. We confess the promises of God; we confess the actions of God. We confess, and our identity is forged. For what we choose to remember in doctrine and history, faith and belief, boldly informs who we are.

Confessing is, therefore, much more than formal subscription to words spoken in history. It is learning to voice the unchanging truth of the gospel beside the situation and mission of the church today. It is the utterance of dynamic truths and the active process of living by them. Confessing God the Father moves us into a particular history, people, and reality, and then compels us to move further and further into the identity it places before us. With Simon Peter we confess of Christ the Son: “We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69).

Yet for the Church in history and for many today, these are not easy words. They are spoken with the knowledge that they must inform all of life, regardless of the life in which we find ourselves. Michael Horton clarifies, “While it is certainly possible to have a church that is FORMALLY committed to Christian doctrine -- even in the form of creeds, confessions, and catechisms, without exhibiting any interest in missions or the welfare even of those within their own body, I would argue that it is impossible to have a church that is ACTUALLY committed to sound doctrine that lacks these corollary interests.”(1) In other words, rightly functioning, confession and mission, doctrine and life exist hand in hand. Karl Barth was equally insistent upon the missional corollary of true confession. “A declaration may be bold and clear, and centrally Christian... but so long as it remains theoretical, entailing no obligation or venture on the part of him who makes it, it is not confession and must not be mistaken for it.”(2) To use one of Christ’s own metaphors, true confessing does not produce words that fall like seeds on shallow ground, but seeds that grow into great trees where others can come and rest in their branches. Confession is an action in a very real sense of the word.

It was with such an understanding that Dietrich Bonhoeffer declared a state of STATUS CONFESSIONIS for the church under Nazi Germany. STATUS CONFESSIONIS, literally, “a state of confessing,” is a dire situation in which the church must stand up for the integrity of the gospel and the authority of the Word of God it confesses. For Bonhoeffer and others, the Nazification of the church was an issue so threatening to the veracity of their confession of Christ that no dissimulation or concession was possible. Bonhoeffer recognized that the Nazi persecution of Jews demanded a response from the church. But more so, he recognized that the church was called “not only to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to jam a spoke into the wheel itself” and bring the engine of injustice to a halt.(1) Confessing Christ was a theology that could not be held without obligation.

And so it remains today. God has given us a great history to remember, and God has called us to remember it dynamically together. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Confessing Christ as Lord, our identity is cast with a sense of the same urgency and intentionality as those who have gone before us. Confessing Christ is an ongoing, active declaration of the church universal and the church before us, a profound claim upon the whole of our lives and the whole of the church. Like the savior we boldly proclaim, who is unchanging and timeless but also specifically relevant to time itself, what we believe God has done in history calls us to faith and mission TODAY. In a world that would seek to dethrone him, confessing Christ as Lord dynamically continues to tell us WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE THEN MUST DO.

________

1. Michael Horton, “Creeds and Deeds: How Doctrine Leads to Doxological Living” MODERN REFORMATION MAGAZINE, Vol. 15, No. 6.

2. Karl Barth, “The Doctrine of Creation,” Part 4 CHURCH DOGMATICS Vol. 3. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark Publishers, 1960), 84.

3. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, A TESTAMENT TO FREEDOM: THE ESSENTIAL WRITINGS OF DIETRICH BONHOEFFER (New York: Harper Collins, 1995), 132.

________

Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Sermon in Daniel series, #7 Daniel 9:1-23

COMING CLEAN

============

I. True Confessions, internet style.

II. Daniel let himself be informed by the Bible. 9:2

A. He wanted to understand his troubled times.

B. He found his answer in the book of Jeremiah.

C. The Bible is an answer book.

III. Daniel had a humble attitude. 9:3

A. He prepares for prayer with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

B. He also shows humility in his attitude.

IV. Daniel prayed intensely and specifically.

A. For his personal sins, and the sins of his nation.

B. The concept of sin is still believed in - sort of.

C. Daniel knew he was a sinner. Do you?

V. Daniel focused on God's character and glory. 9:15-19

A. He knows God is an awesome God. 9:4

B. God has done stuff before, and he can do it again.

C. God's mercy is the key. 9:18

VI. God wants to answer more than we want to pray. 9:20-23

The sad spectacle of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford continues to dominate the headlines as further revelations add one bizarre twist after another to the governor’s tale of adultery, deceit, and the consequences of sin. With every passing day, pressure mounts for the governor to resign. As the revelations unfold, his leadership credibility is further destroyed. The people of South Carolina now look to their governor’s mansion with a sense of dread and embarrassment.

Governor Sanford’s admission of adultery came only after he was ambushed by the media after returning from a liaison in Argentina. In a rambling confession, the governor admitted to an ongoing relationship and an extramarital affair. While the media quickly turned to ask questions about money and the affairs of state, many others immediately thought of the governor’s wife and four sons and the horrible pain and embarrassment they were now forced to bear.

In his original statement, Governor Sanford seemed to acknowledge the evil of his actions and, using biblical language, he appeared to understand the sinfulness of his adultery and betrayal. Yet, his statement was rambling and disconnected and, upon reflection, his words raised more questions than they answered. How did this affair happen? Was the relationship really over?

When Governor Sanford addressed his cabinet just a few days after his confession, he offered an apology to his colleagues and promised to “carry on” as governor. “I wanted generally to apologize to every one of you all, for letting you down,” he said. Of course, “letting you down” hardly covers the behavior that brought the governor to this admission. The governor violated his marital vows, engaged in an elaborate and sickening correspondence with his mistress, abandoned his responsibility as husband and father, and forfeited his right to lead the state which twice had elected him governor.

When speaking to the Cabinet, Governor Sanford referred to the biblical story of King David. The governor spoke of “the way in which he fell mightily -- he fell in very, very significant ways --- but then picked up the pieces and built from there.” The governor also suggested that remaining in office would set a good example for his four boys, teaching them to persevere after a fall. The great shame is that the governor did not have his four boys in mind as he committed adultery.

Naturally, questions emerged related to the extent and duration of the extramarital affair. The governor’s initial statement was unclear about several key issues. The days following would render the situation even more unclear.

Most recently, in a lengthy interview granted to the Associated Press, Governor Sanford added what the wire service called “explosive details” that made the picture all the more troubling. In the first place, the governor admitted to having “crossed the lines” with other women. “There were a handful of instances wherein I crossed the lines that I shouldn’t have crossed as a married man, but never crossed the ultimate line,” said the governor.

But the most troubling words from the governor concerned the nature of his relationship with Maria Belen Chapur, the woman with whom he had the affair. “This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story,” he said. He added: “A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day.”

Speaking, not of his wife, but of his mistress, Governor Sanford declared that he would go to his grave “knowing that I had met my soul mate.”

Immediately following the governor’s first admission, it seemed that he might survive politically and remain in office. The nation found itself once again in a debate about the relationship between personal virtue and public responsibility. This is a question that is particularly vexing to Christian conservatives, who must simultaneously understand that all are sinners in need of redemption and, at the same time, affirm that some sins disqualify individuals from public service and influence.

America’s recent political history indicates that some politicians can survive revelations of adultery. While Christians should be less concerned about the political consequences and more concerned about the spiritual consequences, it is fair to observe that those politicians who survive more often than not do so when the adulterous relationship is clearly over and in the more distant past and when the politician has given himself in a demonstrable way to the priority of rebuilding his marriage and reestablishing credibility with his family.

Put simply, Governor Sanford’s most recent comments point to a worst-case scenario. His words make clear that his heart is still inclined toward his mistress, and not his wife. With tragic candor, the governor has spoken of trying to fall back in love with his wife. He refers to his mistress, not his wife, as his soul mate, and speaks wistfully of the affair as “a love story at the end of the day.”

Governor Sanford may cite King David, and he may even suffer the illusion that his response is similar to that of Israel’s King. Nevertheless, the difference is clear. David’s adultery was mixed even with murder, but his own acknowledgment of sin came in a flood of contrition, remorse, broken heartedness, and humility. David acknowledged the reality of his sin, expressed his hatred of the sin, and became a model for us all of repentance. Governor Sanford, on the other hand, demonstrates the audacity to speak wistfully of his sin, longingly of his lover, and romantically of his descent into unfaithfulness.

Governor Sanford is no King David, and the people of South Carolina -- as well as the watching world -- now observe the sad spectacle of a man who, while admitting to wrongdoing, shows no genuine repentance. As the Christian church has long recognized, true repentance is reflected in the “detestation of sin.” This is a far cry from what we’ve heard from Governor Sanford.

If the governor is really serious about demonstrating character to his four sons, he should resign his office and give himself unreservedly to his wife and family. He must show his sons -- and all who have eyes to see -- how a man is led by the grace and mercy of God to hate his sin, rather than to love it. Until then, the governor must be understood to indulge himself in wistfulness for his affair and in a desperate determination to maintain his office. His remaining days in office are like a Greek tragedy unfolding into farce. The whole picture is just unspeakably sad.

It took two years, thousands of man-hours and a cross-country chase to catch John Edwards cheating. That was the easy part.

Even after gathering and publishing overwhelming proof that the man who wanted to restore America to the moral high ground as president had fathered a love child while his wife battled terminal cancer, the more difficult task proved to be getting anyone to believe it.

As Editor-in-Chief of the National Enquirer I devoted unprecedented resources to the Edwards story while supervising a large team of reporters and editors whose ultimate goal was simply to sell newspapers while exposing a hypocrite (not win a Pulitzer, although, hey, that would have been fun, if only to observe the whoopee-cushion effect it would have had on so many journalists).

While much has been written about the Enquirer’s scoop, the key element of how Edwards was caught has never been told -- until now. The untold story (to borrow one of the Enquirer’s famous catch phrases) is that it took the perfect meshing of technology and psychology to rip the Edwards-affixed label of “tabloid trash” off the mass-ignored expose and force him into a confession.

The Enquirer had spent weeks shadowing Edwards’ Falstaffian aide Andrew Young and Rielle Hunter in a North Carolina gated community before finally publishing the story that she was pregnant with the candidate’s baby. But when Young astoundingly claimed paternity of Hunter’s baby the story hit with a thud.

Edwards’ fecund ability to lie -- and persuade others to swear to it -- caught the Enquirer team by surprise. The story created no public frisson and Edwards continued his presidential run. The Enquirer’s investigative team disbanded, demoralized.

I watched the video of Edwards breezily dismissing the story as “tabloid trash” over and over and days later I realized two things: the Enquirer had to keep chasing the story and we were going to need to make Edwards confess. The denial video offered me no clue how to do that.

Predicting and manipulating Edwards’ behavior was our only chance. It was beyond a long shot but when your CEO funds an expensive operation and the result is a collective public yawn, let’s just say sometimes fear can be as good a motivator as a sense of injustice.

That’s when I brought in a mental health expert to psychologically profile Edwards and predict his behavior in certain scenarios, a desperate move that I hoped would provide some type of advantage.

The mental health professional does not want to be identified but he specializes in diagnosing and treating personality disorders and how they affect family dynamics. It took weeks for the professional to construct a detailed profile of Edwards. There are no notes or written reports. The following quotes are constructed from memory of the briefing:

“John Edwards believes what he says,” the professional said. “He says whatever he can to make people like him. He turns it on in public. In private he’s abusive and selfish. What kind of man asks his friend to take ownership of a human being HE fathered? That’s unheard of.

“Edwards looks at himself as above the law. He has a compromised conscience -- meaning he will cover up his immoral behavior at whatever cost to keep his reputation intact. He believes he is who his reputation says he is, rather than the immoral side, the truth. He separates himself from the immoral side because that person wouldn’t be the next president of the United States. He overcompensated for his insecurities with sex to feed his ego which feeds his narcissism.”

The most important part was the absolute certainty of the mental health professional that Edwards would continue to deny the scandal -- almost at all costs.

“He will keep denying the scandal to America because he is denying the reality of it to himself. He sees himself only as the image he has created.” I was told.

The message from the professional that changed everything was that while it would be nearly impossible to make Edwards confess, he would offer a limited version of the truth if that was the only way he could maintain control of the scandal.

Edwards had stayed away from Hunter in North Carolina. He knew the Enquirer didn’t have photos of them together and that was the root of his confident lie. Now, I understood the most important element -- what to do after landing the next big story.

The profiler’s assessment secretly became my bible for the Enquirer’s renewed coverage. During the next few months we developed solid information on visits Edwards had with Hunter but I chose not to publish, knowing that we needed to catch him in the act.

It took months to gather advance intelligence about when and where he would meet Hunter. Technology afforded the Enquirer modern tools we never had before. Satellite photos gave us a detailed picture of where Rielle was and where they would meet. In my Boca Raton, Florida office we had constructed a board of the North Carolina neighborhood where she was stashed, and the location where we ultimately photographed her. Reporters on the ground sent updated photos and video. We could see every street, every house close up, with scores of photographs tacked to a bulletin board in a mini-recreation that helped us plan multiple options for how to deploy reporters and photographers.

Considering the fact that at one time fax machines were banned from the Enquirer office because the editor in charge thought they could be used to steal our information (true story), the tabloid had come a long way relying on satellite photos and live-feed video for real-time intelligence.

This same strategy was used in Los Angeles, with far less time to watch and wait than we had in North Carolina. But when John Edwards showed up at the Beverly Hilton hotel to meet with Rielle on the evening of July 21, 2008, a large team of reporters and photographers were on the grounds for the Enquirer, and he was photographed secretly as he confidently walked into a side door at 9:45 p.m.

The Enquirer knew what room Hunter was in, as well as the room where her male traveling companion was staying. When Edwards came down to the lobby at 2:40 am the Enquirer was waiting for him, famously chasing as he ran into a public bathroom.

Edwards was caught in the act. And yet I knew this still wouldn’t be good enough. He would never confess, the profiler had warned. He wouldn’t face the truth about himself. The Enquirer’s next moves were all a direct result of the mental health professional’s assessment from months ago.

I immediately posted the story of the late night encounter on the paper’s website. It was important to immediately put the pressure on John, to let him know the Enquirer had been at the hotel the entire time he visited Hunter and their child, and that the early-morning run in with our reporter was the culmination of a planned operation.

There was silence from Edwards’ camp. No denial, no statement. It fit the profiler’s opinion; he was assessing what he could get away with.

We told the press that there were photographs and video from that night. Other journalists asked us to release the images but I refused. Edwards needed to imagine the worst-case scenario becoming public. The Enquirer would give him no clues about what it did and did not have.

I knew there was no viable scenario for Edwards to confess to the Enquirer. I faced the bitter realization that another news organization would reap the benefits of our team’s hard work and get the confession, but I also knew that ultimately that confession would validate the Enquirer’s earlier story as well as the new one.

Behind the scenes we exerted pressure on Edwards, sending word though mutual contacts that we had photographed him throughout the night. We provided a few details about his movements to prove this was no bluff.

For 18 days we played this game, and as the standoff continued the Enquirer published a photograph of Edwards with the baby inside a room at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

Journalists asked if we had a hidden camera in the room. We never said yes or no. (We still haven’t). We sent word to Edwards privately that there were more photos.

He cracked. Not knowing what else the Enquirer possessed and faced with his world crumbling, Edwards, as the profiler predicted, came forward to partially confess. He knew no one could prove paternity so he admitted the affair but denied being the father of Hunter’s baby, once again taking control of the situation.

Our sources told us Edwards thought he could survive the affair admission personally and politically. At the time, it was good enough for everyone at the Enquirer. The articles, the investigation, the nearly two years of work, had been vindicated and instead of an expensive yawn-inducing tale no one believed, we had a great political scoop.

As far as Edwards admitting paternity, we knew that would happen eventually too. We heard from mutual contacts that Edwards wondered if we had collected DNA from the baby and from John and run our own test.

Someone close to Edwards asked me about that and I laughed. Let him imagine the worst. After all, that was the only proven way to get him to tell the truth.

________

David Perel was the Editor-in-Chief of the National Enquirer during the John Edwards investigation

Let us be clear on this indisputable fact: The Lord is God.

There is no glory greater than His glory. What He desires to do, He is able to do. We can look back in the story of our nation and see the Lord is able to pour out His Spirit with such power and effect that the whole nation is deeply stirred. We have names for such times: the Great Awakening, the Second Great Awakening and, more recently, the Jesus Movement.

Not that long ago...

I was there in the Jesus Movement and saw my college campus profoundly changed. The playlist of the nation’s pop radio stations included songs about Jesus at the top of the list, not the bottom. There were record-setting numbers of conversions in churches of all sorts. Jesus was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year. The Gospels inspired two hit Broadway musicals that are still touring today. My wife and I saw one of them (“Jesus Christ Superstar”) again just a few months ago. Profound changes in worship were set in motion and are still creating ripples in today’s churches.

The chaos and upheaval of the ‘60s ended with a mighty movement of God in the’70s, making Jesus an unavoidable part of the national cultural and religious conversation.

But not now...

Let us also be clear on this indisputable fact: That kind of movement of God is not sweeping America today. Why?

Is there no need for such an outpouring of God today? I can’t imagine anyone arguing that position. Is God less able to stir the nation today than He was in years past? This cannot be the case. Is God less interested in igniting the fires of revival and awakening today than He was in our past? Given His love for sinners revealed in Scripture and demonstrated in His suffering on the cross, such antipathy toward us could not exist.

Where is the mighty movement of God stirring our nation? Forget the nation as a whole. Where is the stirring of God in a mighty way even within our churches?

I suggest one factor in the lack of an outpouring of God’s Spirit in our churches and nation today is the widespread absence of a particular kind of prayer. It is not an uncommon prayer in Scripture: David prayed it; Isaiah prayed it; Nehemiah prayed it; Paul prayed it. While not an uncommon prayer in the Bible, it does appear to be an uncommon prayer today, perhaps because it is embarrassing.

The “S” word and me

The embarrassing prayer is an acknowledgement that I still have a problem with sin, as does my church and my nation. All of us know sinful acts are a problem, but we rarely acknowledge they remain a problem after we begin walking with Jesus. We become more likely to confess the sin of others than to confess our own.

Consider the poignant wrestling with sin expressed by Paul in Romans 7:14-25. Should we not expect battles with sin to be part and parcel of our journey with Jesus as well? Unfortunately, when my repentance is connected only with yesterday’s news of my conversion, God’s activity in my life also becomes yesterday’s news.

What should we do?

I suggest you bring Psalm 139:23-24 into your active prayer life: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

For all of us, the battle with disobedience and sin is part of the journey as we follow Jesus. My disobedience is never a lesser sin than someone else’s disobedience. Being unaware of our own sins does not indicate sin is no longer a problem.

If Psalm 23 is a part of your prayer life, Psalm 51 should be as well. We do well to remember David’s prayer of confession and repentance in Psalm 51 did not come in his youth. It came long after he was a man “after God’s own heart.”

Praying an embarrassing prayer is much preferred to living an embarrassing life.

Helen Keller said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” I suspect you have experienced this profound reality in your own life. And nothing brings more joy to our hearts than to be close to those we love.

On the flip side, estrangement can be brutally gut-wrenching, whether it occurs in your family or in your relationship with God. Sadly, the feelings of closeness that once existed become a thing of the past.

But what if there was a way back? That is, a way to regain the love, warmth, and tender affection.

If it is difficult for you to even imagine being reunited with an estranged family member or friend, just remember: “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). A woman who was reconciled to her husband said, “We are growing stronger together with every day that passes. We look forward to being together in a way that we have not felt in many years. I love my husband.”

Another couple who also experienced reconciliation stated, “When we got married, we had no healthy coping or relationship skills at all. The past four months have been like something from a dream.”

“He is becoming more open with his feelings and his thoughts. He tells me every single day that he loves me and wants to be with me for the rest of his life. He is making good financial decisions. He is becoming the leader in our home that I have wanted him to be.”

Behavioral changes, personal growth, forgiveness, and honesty are all part of the cure for estrangement. Believe it or not, the grace of God can literally change you into a new person.

So, are you willing to do your part to bring about reconciliation and peace? What practical steps are you willing to take to offer an olive branch to your spouse, or to an estranged family member or friend? Apart from honest and heartfelt communication, the relationship will remain broken. Swallowing your pride may be necessary for the fractured relationship to be mended. If so, are you willing to do it?

If you find yourself stuck in the past, then meditate daily upon this powerful directive and promise the Lord gave to His people in the Old Testament: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

God would love to do a new thing for you! The streams of the Holy Spirit can replace your resentment and bitterness with peace. God will refresh and renew your soul if you will humble yourself and come to Christ with your anguish. “The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

If you are estranged from a loved one today, then reflect upon anything you may have done to intensify the estrangement. Own your sins, confess them to the Lord, and rely upon God for the courage and grace you need to apologize for any of your shortcomings in the relationship. The path to reconciliation involves genuine brokenness, fervent prayer, sincere contrition, and the willingness to forgive past hurts.

And if you have drifted away from the Lord in recent years, humility and repentance will light the way back home. But you will need to be completely open and honest with the Lord. Since He already knows all about what has interrupted your fellowship with Him, you might as well get real with God and talk to the Lord about your personal issues. Honesty with God goes a long way. After all, the Lord desires your heart more than anything else.

You may remember how the prodigal son became estranged from his father when he ran off with his share of the inheritance after foolishly fantasizing about engaging in wild living (see Luke 15:11-32). But when the young man’s unrestrained revelry and debauchery left his heart and his wallet completely drained, “he came to his senses” (v. 17) and headed home. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (v. 20).

Likewise, those who choose to “come near to God” (James 4:8) find the Lord waiting with open arms. If you have been running from God, isn’t it time to come home?

If your earthly father failed to shower you with compassion, then it may be extremely difficult for you to trust God and accept the Father’s unconditional love. But if you step out in faith, you will not be disappointed!

Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11) Simply believe it and receive it!

And of course God’s greatest gift is expressed in these famous words from Jesus: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). You can insert your name in place of “whoever” because Jesus endured the agony of the cross specifically for you!

No matter how far you may have drifted from God, you are invited to come home today. Jesus said, “There is more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7). Will you come back to God in humility, repentance and faith?

The cross of Christ provides the way home. Thankfully, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

________

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.