Agreeing with God

About twenty-five years ago, I picked up our car from the dealer’s service department and drove from Stanthorpe to Brisbane. Driving up Albert Street in Brisbane, I heard a rattle from the left-hand rear wheel. As soon as possible, I pulled over to the kerb to check the problem. I removed the hub cap and two wheel nuts dropped onto the bitumen. Another two of the wheel nuts were loose.

Whenever we need to change a tyre, we may have trouble because their pneumatic wrench can tighten the nuts too much for a hand wrench. But too loose...?

Recently, a relative flew a single-engine Cessna from Redcliffe to Ayr. I noted, as I have done previously, how carefully he does the pre-flight check - including a sample from the bottom of the fuel tanks to be sure there is no water. My experience with the loose wheel could have been serious, but up there failure can be fatal. "She’ll be right, mate!" just isn’t good enough.

In Psalm 139.23-24, David says to the Lord, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We might think, "Doesn’t God know already?" Yes, he does, but confession of sin is agreeing with God that something is seriously wrong.

Psalm 106 begins with praise and thanks. The Psalmist goes on, "Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise" (vv. 4-5).

He is aware that there is a problem in their relationship to the Lord - acknowledged in the words, "when you show favour to your people" and "when you save them". So the Psalmist moves into confession of sin - "We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly" (v. 6).

The verses that follow are largely a chronicle of the sins of "our fathers" - especially during the time of the exodus from Egypt. Again and again "they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled..." (v. 7). Again and again the Lord saved them from adversity. "Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel" (vv. 12-13).

It is utter foolishness to take the "she’ll-be-right,-mate!" attitude to truth and morality. God knows it isn’t all right, and I suspect that, deep within, we know it ourselves too.

The Greek word used in the New Testament for "confess" literally means to "say the same thing." It was used to express "promise", "agree, admit", and "declare publicly".

It isn’t possible for a doctor to treat a person who doesn’t admit that something is wrong - they don’t come seeking help anyway! And we can’t receive God’s forgiveness, grace and help when we refuse to agree with him that we are sinners who need to be forgiven and radically changed.

Paul wrote, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1.15). John wrote, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn 1.8-9).

Confess - agree with God - and receive his forgiveness, grace and help.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we’re not very good at admitting that we are ever wrong. We love to think of ourselves as practically perfect people. We don’t like to be called sinners, yet it’s the truth about us. And Jesus died for sinners - so, yes, that’s us too! It’s no use pretending or hiding. You know all about us. And yet you love us! We come to you to know your love, to receive your forgiveness and to be changed so that genuine unselfish love can reach out through us to others. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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