Martha Hill Jamison

Center yourself on today’s reflection by lighting a candle and reciting this breath prayer:
Inhale – Free us, O Lord, from fear
Exhale – So we can live in peace.

Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

Refection:
I have an inherent need to appear successful. To be thought of highly by those around me. Any deficiency, large or small, causes me great shame. As a result, confessing any shortcomings, even to my beloved Lord, has never been easy. Of course, even though he knows all, I have felt he wouldn’t notice if I swept my sins to the side. If I don’t speak it, perhaps we can all just forget about it. I’m not a murderer, after all.

But, my sins haven’t gone away. Swept to the side does not mean forgotten—or forgiven. Perhaps my public persona remains shiny, but my soul is dinged. Sleep is not always peaceful.

Solomon and his collaborators were wise to teach that “he who conceals his transgressions will not prosper.”          

From the time that Adam and Eve covered their nakedness in the Garden of Eden, we have tried to conceal our sins in ways that are sometimes ungainly (fig leaves as fashion?) and sometimes more wicked than the sin itself (the death of Uriah). Our pitiable attempts to distract, delude or disguise are bound to fail. Every first-year law student or public relations professional knows that the cover-up is worse than the crime. 

What a fool I have been! Not only have I been ridiculously unsuccessful in hiding my sins from God, but I have deprived myself of his delicious forgiveness and the total erasure of my transgressions.             

Proverbs continues, “but he who confesses and forsakes [transgressions] will find compassion.” And the New Testament promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.           

Isn’t that a better choice? Can I overcome my shame and embarrassment in order to claim forgiveness and God’s blessing? I pray that I can learn to do so.

Prayer:
Dearest Heavenly Father and Ultimate Judge, give me the courage to bring my failures to you, in the light. I know you have been waiting. You see my wickedness and love me anyway. There is nothing I can do to lose your love. I beg your forgiveness—for my sins and for my failure to acknowledge them. Your pardoning mercy is the only and sure way to happiness. I claim it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen.