Psalm 32:5  “I confessed all my sins to you

And stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me!  All my guilt is gone.”

I am reading a book by Max Lucado , the title is Max on Life. It is a series of questions that people have asked him over the years.  He shares his thoughts on their questions.  This one I read today is one I want to pass on.  So here goes:

8.  WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF CONFESSION?  DOESN’T GOD ALREADY KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE?  WHY DOES HE NEED ME TO TELL HIM?

The Greek word for confession is the compound term homologeo, homo meaning “the same” and legeo meaning “to speak.”  To confess is to speak the same, to agree with.  In this case, to agree with God.

This definition not only tells us what confession is;  it tells us what confession is not.  Confession is not complaining.  If I merely recite my problems and tell you how tough my life is, I’m not confessing.

Confession is not blaming. Pointing fingers at others without pointing any at myself may feel good for a while, but it does nothing to remove the conflict within me.

Confession is coming clean with God.

King David did.  As if the affair with Bathsheba wasn’t enough.  As if the murder of her husband wasn’t enough.  Somehow David danced around the truth.  He denied his wrongdoing for at least nine months until the child was born.  It took a prophet to bring the truth to the surface, but when he did, David didn’t like what he saw (2Samuel 11:1-12:13).

He waved the white flag.  No more combat with God.  No more arguing with heaven.  He confessed.  He came clean with God.  What was the result of such honesty? Psalm 32:5  “I confessed all my sins to you

Psalm 32:5  “I confessed all my sins to you

And stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me!  All my guilt is gone.”

Want to get rid of your guilt?  Come clean with God.

As I stated above the words are Max Lucado’s but it speaks to me.  May it speak to you as well.

In His Love and grace,  John