“If I had cherished sin in my heart, 
    the Lord would not have listened; 
 but God has surely listened 
    and has heard my prayer. 
Praise be to God, 
    who has not rejected my prayer 
    or withheld his love from me!“

Psalm 66:18-20 

–

September 5, 2025

Over these weeks we’ve touched on elements of our worship gathering that are generally anticipated with joy: worship, praise, asking. But when I say “Confession” do you wince a bit? Why have a community prayer of confession in our worship service? 

Or to ask it another way: What is special about the experience of a group prayer of confession? Is it different than a time of silent reflection where we let God examine our hearts? 

While it can be beneficial to use our own words in private conversations with God, in community it can be helpful to have a framework for our experience together. There is a long tradition within many denominations of beginning a service with communal confession. Let’s look at an example:  

Almighty God, our hearts are an open book to You. You search us and know us from beginning to end. Nothing is hidden from You. God, we confess that we are selfish with our time, our affections and our resources, offering You and others little while we have received much. We confess that we are blind to our own sins, but hyper-aware of the sins of others, neglecting to ask for the forgiveness You stand ready to bestow. We confess that we are more vigilant to maintain our outer image than to nurture our soul, and yet You keep pursuing us with Your everlasting love. Forgive us, God, when we sin, and make us new in You. Amen.                                                    

(From Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church.) 

Even reading this silently, I can feel myself forced to slow down. To be still before God. Can you see how hearing our own voice mingled with others shines a spotlight on our great need and God’s great mercy? If a prayer of communal confession wakes us up anew to the Holiness of God and reminds us of the all-encompassing pardon we have received, can you see how it increases our readiness to worship this merciful God? Being reminded that our greatest problem has been dealt with should draw us to praise and set the stage for the rest of our worship service. 

In his book  Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone.” 

If we are becoming a family as we are called to be, we don’t have to be alone with our sin. Confessing together reminds us that everyone around us is fighting the same battle against sin and needs the same grace and mercy. Together we can rejoice in God’s promise to forgive our sins when we confess! 

Questions for Reflection and Discussion: 

  • Are you fully assured of God’s promise to forgive your sins when you confess? Ask God to impress this truth in your heart.  

Church Reading Plan:

  • Today, September 5: 1 Samuel 29-30; 1 Corinthians 10 
  • Saturday, September 6: 1 Samuel 31; 1 Corinthians 11 
  • Sunday, September 7: 2 Samuel 1; 1 Corinthians 12