A Contrite Heart

A Contrite Heart

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Psalm 51:17

I can’t tell you how many times I urged my young children to confess when they had disobeyed. The downcast looks and fidgeting told me my children knew that what they did was wrong, but getting the words out was hard. No one wants to admit to disobedience; to confess guilt. “Go ahead and put me in a time-out,” a child’s actions declare, “but I’m not going to tattle on myself.”

The Amish church takes the need to confess one’s sins seriously. Members are encouraged to confess their faults to a deacon or minister. In some cases, church leaders request a public confession following a Sunday service.

I have to admit, I’d be more watchful of my own actions if I knew I would need to confess in front of the whole congregation. Then again, I’d be more watchful if I took time to actually verbalize my confession to God with a contrite heart. Like my children, I often offer a downcast look and do a little fidgeting. When I admit my sin and speak it out loud with a contrite heart, asking God to forgive me, it seems to matter more. It also helps me to remember that God doesn’t forgive reluctantly. He forgives willingly: “He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:10-12).

God delights in hearing our confessions and offering His mercy and forgiveness. All we have to do is ask.

Dear heavenly Father, I don’t deserve Your great forgiveness and mercy, but I am thankful for them. Thank You for Your unfailing love!