Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Rob Says A Mouthful
You know, Rob Wilkerson over at Miscellanies on the Gospel
When I was a kid, I bugged my parents and bugged my parents until I could get a pet American chameleon - they finally broke down and geve me the four bucks. I misunderstood the care instructions about keeping it in a warm place, put in on top of the furnace and it got cooked the first night it was home. I was mortified. In the afternoon one of my teachers found me not participating in recess and asked why. I explained I was worried about going home and telling my parents what happened. She asked me if my mom loved me, which I answered affirmatively. Then she told me she knew it would work out fine.
Well, that got me through the rest of the school day and the teacher found me as I made my way out of the school to reaffirm that it would be fine. I got home and told my Mom in tears. All Mom did was hug me and comfort me, and she bought me a new chameleon the next day, which lasted until the cat found it, but at least that wasn't my fault.
So many times that is analogous to the experience I have when I go before God in confession - just like my mother hugging me - God can and will make it better.
Related Tags: Christianity, confession
Sin makes us want to hide in it and hide it from others. The gospel makes us want to reveal it to Jesus for forgiveness. The church makes us want to reveal it to others for healing and repentance. Praise God for the gospel and the church!I do not know how we have come to view confession in the negative light that seems so prevalent today. It's not really about admitting we are bad - it's about discovering the goodness that only Christ can grant us.
When I was a kid, I bugged my parents and bugged my parents until I could get a pet American chameleon - they finally broke down and geve me the four bucks. I misunderstood the care instructions about keeping it in a warm place, put in on top of the furnace and it got cooked the first night it was home. I was mortified. In the afternoon one of my teachers found me not participating in recess and asked why. I explained I was worried about going home and telling my parents what happened. She asked me if my mom loved me, which I answered affirmatively. Then she told me she knew it would work out fine.
Well, that got me through the rest of the school day and the teacher found me as I made my way out of the school to reaffirm that it would be fine. I got home and told my Mom in tears. All Mom did was hug me and comfort me, and she bought me a new chameleon the next day, which lasted until the cat found it, but at least that wasn't my fault.
So many times that is analogous to the experience I have when I go before God in confession - just like my mother hugging me - God can and will make it better.
Related Tags: Christianity, confession
