I cannot save myself

Today’s devotional continues in its emphasis on the importance of confessing sin. It points to a verse that is often used to explain why God does not answer our prayers. The verse puts the blame on unconfessed sin, sin that is harbored in the heart and is prized in some way. This is sin that I am not willing to abandon.

As I read this verse, I know that there will never be a time this side of heaven where my life is totally free from sin. I know enough about my old nature to realize that it is full of iniquity and constantly coming up with ways to glorify myself and do things my own way instead of God’s way. With that in mind, reading this well-known verse in context is a comfort. It says:

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me! (Psalm 66:18-20)

Perhaps the psalmist shared my dilemma. He knew that his life, in a practical sense, will never be free of sin until he is with God in glory. Besides that, how can a person know if they are cherishing sin in their life anyway? Just when we think we have confessed it all, something happens and sin pops up out of nowhere. It seems as if the well of yuck will never run dry and sin is ever present, ready to express itself. Confessing every last bit seems impossible because there seems to be no end of those bits.

If having sin that is harbored is the criterion for communication with God, I’d be afraid that He never hears my prayers. That is why verses 19-20 are important. I do the best I can by being willing to let it go, but if I miss something, God is merciful; He hears me and knows my heart. He answers prayer because of who He is, not because of what I am.

I’m often comforted by another psalm. This one tells me that I’m not alone in failing to understand or perceive all that needs confession. If I wonder about missing something, this is a good place to go. It says:

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:12-14)

Only God can understand the depths of this sin that lurks waiting for opportunity to express itself. Only God can give me the right thoughts, attitudes and words. Of course there are presumptuous sins that I am aware of, but when those secret ones catch me off guard, I know there is much in me of which I am not aware. This knowledge nags at me and make me wonder if God will ever hear me.

Yet again, as the psalmist says, only God can take care of these hidden things. He can cleanse the secret sins, the stuff that I don’t know is there until it jumps out to bite me.

Confession is vital. His Spirit and His chastening help me do it, as does that sense of guilt which is like pain, warning me that something is wrong. Guilt (before or after sin’s activity) is God’s signal to confront sin and acknowledge it to God so He can cleanse it and help me forsake it.

Thinking about these things today makes me thankful all over again that I have a Savior who can save me. If I had to do it myself, I would certainly fail.