In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need…
In his marvelous work, Life Together (p. 112), Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes eloquently and passionately about the power of confession:
In confession the break-through to community takes place. Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession the light of the Gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart. The sin must be brought into the light. The unexpressed must be openly spoken and acknowledged. All that is secret and hidden is made manifest. It is a hard struggle until the sin is openly admitted. But God breaks gates of brass and bars of iron (Ps. 107:16).
The last several months have been terribly demanding on me and my family and closest of friends. I have never felt deeper need for God’s presence. And in recent days I have felt the need for confession.
Dear readers, it is confession time, and I disclose…
That I have often been irritable and impatient—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have often uttered “Oh God!” and it has not been in the context of prayer—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have kept my fears and anxieties hidden from those who love me the deepest—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have complained and whined and have planned some magnificent pity-parties to which I have invited only one person—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have allowed despair some depression to rule far too many moments of my life—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have squandered times where energy has been present to do more for God—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
That I have not been grateful enough for God’s saving and sustaining grace—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy! Amen!
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Dear Brother,
I read your confession, and this song began singing its way through my soul.
Maybe it is for you.
In peace, O Christ, I face the throne,
Since I am found in Thee;
I claim no merit of my own,
Thy blood my only plea;
A sinner justified by grace,
Redeemed to look upon Thy face.
And now where’er my steps may go
Since I am found in Thee;
O’er mountain or thro’ vale below
Thy guiding hand I see;
Yea, found in Thee I cannot stray,
Or stumble on my pilgrim way.
When tempted in an evil hour,
Since I am found in Thee;
Thou art more near than sin’s dark pow’r,
My inward purity;
Ah! found in Thee the tempter’s dart
Is hurled in vain against my heart.
When Thou at last my name shalt call,
I shall be found in Thee;
Redeemed before Thy feet to fall,
And own Thy victory;
Thro’ all eternity to be
Safe in the Father’s house with Thee. — Harry A. Ironside
Copyright 1935 by Geo. S. Schuler in Pastor Ironside’s Gospel Songs. Assigned to Singspiration, Inc.
Whoops. Author of the hymn is Max I. Reich.
JL
Psalm 61: Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.-Selah