In Nehemiah, we see the people respond the the voice and presence of God by confessing to God, who they are, what they’ve done, and what they have done as a people (as a community). In this exercise, you’ll walk through a simple practice of communal confession.
What is Confession?
Confession is the act of “saying the same thing as God” or naming reality. We grow in our love for God by being honest about who we are and how we live. We lower the facade and tell the truth: “We are not a peaceful community,” “I don’t like serving the poor,” or “I don’t believe God is concerned or cares for me.”
This is how we bring our true selves before God. In fact, Jesus was not too welcoming to the self-righteous and the hiding. Jesus says that he came for the sick in need of a doctor. The only pre-requisite for joining Jesus’ entourage was to be honest with who you were: a human tainted by sin. Jesus ate with sinners. Jesus forgave sinners.
Ironically, Christian communities have become hiding places for sinners to pretend they don’t need Christ. But we cannot grow in our love for God (with all our hearts, minds, strength), until we tell the truth about our hearts, minds, and strength. This is the beginning of transformation.
Confession is not just about speaking about how bad we or our circumstances are, but about speaking to God about how good God is in our circumstances. Confession is also about saying the truth about God—who he is and what he has done.
King David was the confession expert. He offered God his true feelings of fear, anger, resentment, disappointment, and doubt to God while simultaneously speaking of God’s great works, kindness, and power. Our language of God as a “Rock” and “Refuge” comes directly from David’s confessions and songs. God was his Rock because David confessed his life was on shaking soil and in need saving and God was the only one who could save him. God was David’s refuge because David confessed he couldn’t find rest anywhere else in the world—despite his trying. The Psalms show us how to worship God in “spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24).
Practice Together
Read Psalm 6
Part 1 (vs. 1-3): What causes restlessness in you? What troubles you?
Part 2 (vs 4-5): What deliverance/salvation do you need from God?
Part 3 (vs. 6-7): What grieves you? What makes your soul tired?
Part 4 (vs.8-10): Repeat these verses out loud. God has heard, God hears. God hears our request. God accepts our prayers; he longs to hear them.
How has God conquered the enemy and put them to shame? How has God defeated sin? How have you experienced his steadfast love?