The Joy on None

In an effort to drive me to this blog more frequently to allow for more posting and to help create the habit I seek of putting thoughts down in writing, I am embarking tonight on a Pilgrim Thoughts first. It's word study time!

Recently I experienced again the wonderful God-given and commanded practice of confessing sin. I rationalized to myself that I had confessed it to God and that was probably sufficient. But then I knew that I had to confess to my wife, for she was the one who felt the brunt by my selfishness and pride. My stubborn soul held out for a while longer before I finally availed myself to the full elation of living with no regrets. I can't tell you how rewarding this gift of grace from God is.

I thought I would therefore spend some time over the coming days reflecting on confessing sin. There's not a better place to start than one of the first verses I ever memorized. The apostle John writes, "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9). Take note that this tells us much more about God than it does about us. The practice of confession starts with a gracious God who IS faithful and IS just. And He IS able to forgive and cleanse us due to all that He has done to provide these benefits to us from the cross. Appropriately, the only 'if' part is ours. God is faithful even when we are far from it.

Tonight my children were asking about whether God gives second chances. With a smirk on my face, I told them not only second chances, but also four million two hundred seventy-five thousand four hundred and sixty-ninth chances! I know this because once again I sinned, but God was faithful to forgive and cleanse. Oh, the joy of living with no regrets!