I CONFESS BECAUSE MY SINS ARE COVERED

This week, I am exploring what God says about CONFESSION.  As I enter prayer now, I reflect on God’s instruction, “’I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” 

Lord, teach me today about confession.  I desire  

to be obedient to the grace You give to me,  

so my heart can be full of Your Holy Spirit. 

Let me consider the Word of God from Psalm 32:1-5: 

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 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. 

The Lord tells me my sins are covered when I confess and seek forgiveness, and through His holiness I am blessed.  Without confession, I carry the guilt of my sin: my spirit is deceived, my bones waste away, and I groan all day long. By carrying this heavy load, my strength is sapped.  When I neglect confessing, my intent is selfish: I desire to hide my sin in my heart. 

The Lord does not want me to carry this heavy burden.  If I acknowledge my sin, instead of covering it up, He forgives my sin and applies His covering on it.  The Lord covers my sins with His righteousness; He clothes me with His holy garments.  Rather than my sins being hidden, they are forgiven. 

Lord, You alone can forgive my sins.  I confess each one to You

and ask to be covered in Your righteousness. 

The Lord tells me I am blessed because of Him.  I was guilty of my sin, then I confessed.  Because of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross, the Lord forgives my sins.  If I begin to carry the guilt of my sin, I am deceived for it is a heavy burden that saps my strength. 

The Lord desires me to be free from this burden of deceit.  Confession leads to forgiveness, and forgiveness is freeing by lifting my load and restoring my strength.   When I start to hide sin in my heart, I want the Lord to shine His light on it and initiate this cleansing process.  

Lord, may Your power and Your grace remind me of Your prescribed process of confession and forgiveness.  You died for me, so when I confess, I will be forgiven. 

You rose again, so I can have eternal life.   

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.