The Honesty Of Confession - Part 1

David was called a man after God's own heart, which is something that has always intrigued me. Why is he given this accolade?

Its an interesting title. Is he a man seeking after God's own heart? Or is he a man resembling God's own heart?

Either way, I love David's honesty before God. It models something to me I want in my own life. And during some seasons of my life I find I have a lot more that I need to be honest to God about.

Like now.

Psalm 32 is psalm of honesty. It's a psalm reflecting why honesty with God is important.

Honesty is key to any relationship - whether with a person or with the Divine. It ensues that the relationship isn't clouded with untruths. I love the way that this Psalm starts by clearing the decks of untruths that sometimes I forget as a Christian.

It says it how it is. It tells me my relationship, my standing, with God.

But I know me. I'm a festerer - I chew over things in my head for hours. Days. Weeks. Months even! You know the type - can seem like they are on an emotional bungee cord!

The technical term for us types of people - who need to vent - are 'external processors.'

When I don't vent, especially to God, it affects me in different ways.

I'm learning that there is something about acknowledging where I am really at that is vital to my spiritual health and well-being. This is what confession does for me.

It’s a means of grace for me.

However, confession is much more than confessing sin.

Confession is saying what I really think and really feel to God.

Confession is seeing the reality as it really is, and being honest about it.

Confession is acknowledging how God sees things, and that will  often challenge what I really think or feel.

Confession is a key to my - and our - spiritual well-being. And our spiritual well-being affects our emotional and even physical state.

This psalm shows me three different types of confession. In this post, I want to look at the first kind.

The Confession of Sin.

I am an expert in confessing sin. I have plenty of practice! In fact, its a daily devotion, discipline and dedication of mine. Whether I want to or not, I continue to excel in this.

Verse 5 says "I acknowledged my sin to you", so for me confession of sin involves a number of things.

• I must acknowledge my sin to God. I need to address it specifically, sometimes by name.
• I must acknowledge my sin to God. I enjoy taking responsibility for things, but not always sin. No one makes me do, say or think the sinful things I do.
• I must acknowledge my sin to God. No dressing it up or playing it down. Sin is sin.No excuses. No sin of Adam, who when faced with discovery of his sin back in the Fall blamed Eve and even God!
• I must acknowledge my sin to God. First and foremost my sin is against God. Sin is the opposite of worship, because when we worship we make the God the centre. When we sin, we make ourselves the centre.

Confessing our sin is being honesty with God.

I love the second half of verse 5 though - the promise of forgiveness when we confess. Its an Old Testament mirror verse to 1 John 1:9!

When I confessing my sin it builds - and restores - intimacy with God.

It reminds me of my dependence on him.

It humbles me. Which I need time and time again.

It shows me again my ongoing need for mercy.

And it gives God the opportunity to show me grace!

And I am - and will always be - a man in much need of the grace of God.

In the next post, I will look at a second type of confession.

Currently listening to: Sarah McLachlan - Fallen from Afterglow