Confession - A Many-Sided Thing

 

When we look into the scriptures we find different kinds of confession. During this Bible study we’ll be looking at a few selected passages of Scripture that will describe the different kinds of confession found in the Bible.

 

Confession can be a difficult thing. But when we realize the function and power of confession, then we will be more willing to engage in it as an ongoing spiritual discipline and as a point of growth and grace. Typically, we think of confession as related to sin. Prior to an individual being saved by faith, the soul languishes in guilt and ignorance. The consequences of not living in the right relationship with God, are spelled out throughout the Holy Bible.

 

Confession of Sin to Salvation

 

Essentially sin is living in separation from God. When an individual is ignorant of God, of His love, and His requirements, they are living in sin. This does not seem to be so for “good people” and some struggle with this reality. But living in right relationship with God is far more than being just a good person. It is an awareness of the great love of God and the power of his judgment. When we understand these things and understand the character of God then our sin becomes apparent. Having been born in sin because of the fall in the Garden of Eden, each individual is responsible for either accepting or rejecting God. The Apostle Paul articulated the reality that everyone is aware of God and the need to respond to His grace and love.

 

Romans 1:18-20

 

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

 

Proverbs 28:13

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

 

Here we see that everyone is responsible for confessing their sin. Once God hears this confession of individuals they are put into a right relationship with God. It is important to understand that we do not earn a relationship with God, we simply accept it as a gift called salvation. Until this step of faith is made, or after someone has turned their back on this relationship, a godless life is truly empty. A multitude of people who have become believers in God through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit can give joyful testimony to how different and enriched their lives are once they have made this confession of faith.

 

The Book of Lamentations in the Old Testament is one that is rife with bitterness and sorrow and descriptions of what it was like after the Hebrews refused to follow God’s commands and live in covenant love with God. It is really the hearts cry of needing reconciliation with God. Once an individual or a group of people recognize the reality and gravity of their sin, there is a time of great bitterness and suffering. Those who are ignorant of sin, live gleefully or bitterly forward without any understanding of the consequences of not being in right relationship with God and following His commands.

 

Lamentations 3:39-42

 

39 Why should the living complain

    when punished for their sins?

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,

    and let us return to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands

    to God in heaven, and say:

42 “We have sinned and rebelled

    and you have not forgiven.

 

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict people of sin. Jesus described this work of the Holy Spirit as he described the process by which this needed to take place. Jesus came to us to deliver the Good News personally from God, to sacrifice himself for all of our sins – once for all – and then leave us to return to heaven. After that, the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. This is the wonderful mystery of faith in God – that he is one God with three dimensions – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Read how Jesus described the role of the Holy Spirit in John 14:15-31 and 15:26-16:15. In short, we see what the Holy Spirit does for unbelievers and those growing in grace.

 

John 16:7-9

 

⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, because people do not believe in me…

 

Because of what Jesus Christ has done and the love of God the Father, we are not left floundering in our sin. Read this great description of God and his great promise from Scripture.

 

1 John 1:1-10

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We write this to make our joy complete.

 

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

 

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

 

If you have never taken this step of faith, I invite you to do so right now. Pray this simple but deeply impactful prayer:

 

Heavenly Father, I accept the conviction of my sins from the Holy Spirit and long to live with you. Please forgive me of my sin and enable me to live like Jesus Christ. I receive your forgiving love today.             Amen

 

Confession to Return to God

 

Another kind of confession is that of those whose hearts have turned cold toward God after they have begun to live with and for him. Here we turn again to the Apostle Paul for the description of such a group. As we read this closely we see that there are several things that have separated them from God. While they were zealous, they were ignorant of the true knowledge of God. They were bound to pride and self-righteousness. And even though they knew the laws of God that we’re established through Moses, they began to defy God.

 

Romans 10:1-13

 

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ² For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

 

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

The Apostle Paul knew of that which he wrote. Prior to his confession of sin and need of Jesus Christ he too lived in pride and self-righteousness. But he moved forward into a lively and living relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

 

Many years later, the apostle Paul wrote to a young pastor to encourage him to not give up. In this passage we see the Apostle Paul providing paths of courage and also continuing his confession of faith by beautiful and powerful descriptions of the Savior.

 

1 Timothy 6:11-16

 

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

 

Lest we decide that it is our job to support our faith endeavor, The Apostle John wrote late in his life to groups of Christians. He acknowledges the Christians can fall into sin. But that is not the end of the matter. We always have a way out! And not only do we have a way back out of sin, But we can be made complete in Jesus Christ!

 

1 John 2:1-14

 

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

 

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

 

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

12 I am writing to you, dear children,

    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

13 I am writing to you, fathers,

    because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

    because you have overcome the evil one.

14 I write to you, dear children,

    because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

    because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

    because you are strong,

    and the word of God lives in you,

    and you have overcome the evil one.

 

Confession of Sins of Ancestors

 

There is another form of confession that can be confusing. That is the confession of the sins of people who have gone before us. While we are not responsible for the individual sins of our parents, grandparents or other family members, we live in the consequences of their sins.

 

In the book of Leviticus we can see an example of how confession of sin for ancestors is not only important but a requirement. When we confess the sins of our ancestors we are acknowledging our continual need of God through the generations.

 

Leviticus 26:32-45

 

⁴⁰ “‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, ⁴¹ which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, ⁴² I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³ For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. ⁴⁴ Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God. ⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’”

 

We remember their sins in order to avoid those same sins. We do not need to rehearse the trauma of those sins, nor do we accept the guilt of their individual sins, but we remember to help us to avoid immortalizing them as perfect people of faith, and to recognize that we all need to stay in continual humility before God.

 

Confession of Corporate Sin

 

In the book of Nehemiah we can read about an incredible scene of corporate confession of sin. After Judah and Israel had fallen into sin and were taken into exile by several Pagan nations, they had looked separately from the spoken word of God. In God’s covenant then He had promised for them to never be fully destroyed and to always have a faithful remnant. Many decades after the initial exile a pagan king allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild. They discovered the nearly complete decimation of the temple of God and the walls of Jerusalem. While some of the faithful had continued to live in Jerusalem, a large number of people were drawn back to this city to help rebuild it as a center of worship for God. Nehemiah was a godly leader who had returned to Jerusalem to help in the rebuilding. We can read about how he rode silently around the city of Jerusalem and the sorrow that he felt over its destruction. He acknowledged the great sins of his people in silent corporate confession. Then he began to manage the great work of rebuilding. He guided the work and the defense of the people from outsiders despite opposition. While they were rebuilding, some workers found God’s written laws buried in a room. Not long after that Ezra read the law aloud to all people present, their hearts were released from ignorance once again and they responded in corporate confession.

 

Nehemiah 9:1-3

 

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. ³ They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.

 

Here we can see the reality and the power of corporate confession. There are more deeply moving passages in the book of Nehemiah about corporate confession. After the corporate confession they were also led in further worship and celebration as they understood their return to their glorious God.

 

There have been times in Christian history where this kind of confession has been required. Even now perhaps in your community or your nation there needs to be a time of returning and corporate confession. May God guide each of us in these efforts.

 

As we meditate on and contemplate the impact and the need for confession in all of its forms, we also need remember that Jesus taught us how to pray. In what we commonly call the Lord’s Prayer we see a particularly important line. Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts (sins) as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who have sinned against us).” Even in this simple, daily prayer we accept the responsibility of confession of our individual and corporate sins, while recognizing that we have been taught to pray in this way so that we can be delivered from evil and live in right relationship with our wonderful God.

 

Finally, here is another prayer that can guide us in confession and the wonderful outcomes of confession.

 

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

 

1 Blessed is the one

    whose transgressions are forgiven,

    whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one

    whose sin the Lord does not count against them

    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,

    my bones wasted away

    through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night

    your hand was heavy on me;

my strength was sapped

    as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you

    and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

    my transgressions to the Lord.”

And you forgave

    the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

    while you may be found;

surely the rising of the mighty waters

    will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

    you will protect me from trouble

    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,

    which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and bridle

    or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,

    but the Lord’s unfailing love

    surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;

    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

 

Amen

 

© M.R.Hyde 2025

Seven Days of Praise

 

It might just be good to praise God! Take some time to follow these guided devotionals. Keep a journal of your responses for seven days. See if it might transform your life and perspective. 

The challenge is on!

 

DAY ONE

Purloined Praise

Scripture: Exodus 1-4

 

Heavy bricks. Raw hands. Aching backs. Straw dust. Sleep deprivation. Survival. Little reason for praise. For generations the Hebrews knew these things as their constant companions. Any reason for praise had been stolen (purloined) from them for centuries. God’s people were suffering terribly and for no other reason than they were alive and numerous.  They needed help.

 

In Exodus 3 we read that God sent Moses with a message. “So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians.” What a great thing to hear! At last, a word from Elohim the God of justice! He has heard! He is going to act!  He will see them through!

 

God is the glorious God of mercy and justice. He does have compassion. He will see right done in his time. He is all about saving people from their troubles. In the book of Exodus we see how God performs his mighty work of justice, mercy and compassion for all those who would follow him.

 

We, the adopted descendants of  Moses, Aaron and Miriam, the orphans collected off of the pagan streets, the frazzled slaves of sin, know this through the marvelous work of Jesus Christ. This is the same God who called a group of slaves to be his own and, in a time when praise seemed impossible, gave them a future of praise.

 

God looks at you the same way he looked upon Moses, Aaron, Miriam and all of the Hebrew people.  He sees an individual and a people who need help and compassion.  He also invites us to be part of his great work in the world, to lead people to the Savior so that their stolen joy can be returned.

 

Points to Ponder

·       Read Acts 7:1-53 (a brief history of the Israelites as recounted by Stephen) and write down your observations of the kinds of things that stole points of praise from God’s people.

·       What kinds of things are weighing you down and stealing your joy right now?

·       Have you asked God for help in these things? If not, why not?

 

Prayer: Dear God, I need your help. I ask you to help me to return to a place of praise.  Help me to see through the sorrows, sins and disappointments of this life to the kind of hope that I can seize hold of again. Return to me the joy of my salvation.  Amen

 

DAY TWO

Postponed Praise

Scripture: Exodus 5-6:12

 

Chronic pain, long-term pain, never-ending pain—now those are ugly words. They cast a spell of gloom and torment, depression and resignation. We don’t want those kinds of things in our lives, do we? Neither did the Hebrews. For four hundred years they had been in slavery to the Egyptians. After four hundred years of brick-making don’t you imagine the Hebrews would have just given up?  How many times does a person have to be beaten down by hard labor and cruel slave masters before they give up?

 

There is a reason human beings keep on going even in the face of what seems interminable pain—we have hope woven into our very being.  We were created in God’s image and he gives us his great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4), so we bear within us this eternal hope that things can get better.

 

No matter how weary they became and no matter how many times they were beaten down, the Hebrews had hope in their hearts because of the promise God had made to their ancestors (Genesis 12:1-3). In the song “When You Believe” sung by the character of Miriam in the film “Prince of Egypt”, songwriters Kenneth Edmonds and Stephen Schwartz penned these wonderful words, “Though hope is frail, it is hard to kill.”  Even though outright praise had been postponed, this tiny flicker of hope could not be snuffed out because the eternal God of Goodness had made a promise to them.

 

Let us remember that our pain is temporary and if we do just as the Lord God has commanded us, as the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us, and as the Spirit of the Lord has enabled us, we will be able to praise God again.

 

Points to Ponder

·        Reflect on Proverbs 13:12. How has hope been deferred in your life?

·        Recall a time when it was difficult for you to praise. What did God do to get you beyond that?

·        What promises has God made to believers generally and to you personally?

·        Read Colossians 3:12-17. How can you help instill hope to those around you?

 

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for what you are going to do for us in the future. By the power of the Holy Spirit I reach out to take hold of hope for me, for my family, for my church and for our world. Give me the long view—the eternal view—of your work in this world. Amen

 

DAY THREE

Prelude to Praise: Part One

Scripture: Exodus 6:28-7:13

 

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Have you ever had anyone tell you that before? This is something a doctor hints at. It is another reminder that pain can be temporary. If you have a tumor or a broken bone or an infected tooth, the doctor has to do something. He’s got to cause you more pain to get to the healing place. Doesn’t that seem odd? Recovery from surgery is no fun. But we enter into an agreement with the doctor that we will let him cut our skin, muscles and nerves, causing us pain, so that the pain and poor health conditions we are currently living with would be diminished, if not obliterated.

 

The Hebrews had a cancer—it was the cruel oppression of slave drivers. This cancer, this evil had to be dealt with in a war-like manner.  But they also had something else. The Hebrews had God, the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of Life, the Merciful, Jehovah the Provider, the God of Covenant and Promise. God is all-powerful, all mighty, all strong and all compassionate. He brought healing and restoration, hope and comfort, reclamation and strength for their journeys—even through the war of good versus evil.

 

With God, sometimes our path to freedom gets worse before it gets better. And Satan does not want to let us go. So he engages in great spiritual battle with God and with us for our souls. Then God, like a good surgeon who sees exactly what the problem is, also knows that sometimes the pain intensifies before it subsides.

 

Our God is all-powerful, all mighty, all strong and all compassionate.  He brings to us healing and restoration, hope and comfort, reclamation and strength for our journey—even in the middle of the battle.

 

Points to Ponder

·       Where does your strength come from in the middle of your battles?

·       Do you need to rely more on your Savior?  If so, in what specific ways?

·       What kinds of weapons of righteousness do you use the most?

·       Reflect on Ephesians 6:10-20. What else could you employ as you wait for God’s victory?

 

Prayer: I thank you God for my battles. For without them I would not understand how great of a Savior you are. I ask you to give me a taste of the victory that can be ours. Help me to know that the pain that I experience now is not forever. Amen

 DAY FOUR

Prelude to Praise: Part Two

 Scripture: Exodus 7:14-11:10

 

There were ten plagues of Egypt, each topping the other until the final plague that touched the household of the Pharaoh in a very personal way. God gave plenty of room and time for the Pharaoh to make the right decisions for his own people and for the Hebrews. Each plague was announced by Moses and Aaron prior to its arrival. Over and over again God gave Pharaoh the opportunity to change his mind. Imagine how different this would have all been if Pharaoh had acknowledged God! 

 

In the middle of all these plagues, the Hebrews suffered terribly as well. God spared them some of the plagues, but some of the others they had to endure.  It certainly got worse before it got better. What a terrible night during that last plague! Making war with God guarantees sorrow.  

 

It got worse before it got better. In fact, it got really, really bad. What do you imagine the Hebrews were thinking during all of this?  What do you imagine the Egyptians were thinking?  There’s one thing that we know for certain. The Hebrews had God, the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of Life, the Merciful, Jehovah the Provider, the God of Covenant and Promise.

 

Indeed we suffer greatly at times—and many times not from things we ourselves have done. We suffer temporary pain from corrupt systems and bad leaders, from the sins of the world, and the sins of our parents.  But we who believe have a promise from our God that our suffering leads us to release from captivity and into peace with him. We must always remember that even when war is raging in our bodies, in our culture or in our spiritual world it is God who leads us into his great future.

 

Points to Ponder

·       What kind of impact has suffering had on your life?

·       In what ways has God sustained you during times of trouble?

·       Meditate on Psalm 116 and share with someone how God has helped you.

 

Prayer: Oh, God my Savior. Thank you for how you have helped me in the past. I pray today for your strength and comfort. Give this same strength and comfort to my neighbors who suffer as I have. Amen

 

 DAY FIVE

Patterns for Praise

Scripture: Exodus 12:1-30. 

 

There are events in our lives that are important to remember. It is important for us to remember how God has delivered us. God knows this about us and he knows how quickly we forget. He is mindful of our humble condition. So when God sets up rituals and remembrances he does it so that we won’t forget his love and compassion.

 

God had given the Hebrews very specific directions to follow to avoid the troubles that the Egyptians experienced. The very specific directions God gave them not only helped them to avoid the pain of death, but prepared them to leave four centuries of Egyptian slavery, and more importantly, to remember his work on their behalf. The very specific directions incorporated the following:  readiness to go, a special type of meal and an offering or sacrifice of the most unique kind.

Readiness, for God, does not imply a state of being perfect, or being cleaned-up or being absolutely prepared for any contingency. It means you are willing to let him do what he is going to do and that you are willing to obey despite your fears. Readiness is required for deliverance.

 

God initiated the Passover—a tradition of helping the Hebrews remember a great and decisive victory of God on behalf of his people. God described precisely why they were to celebrate. In verses 14 and 17 we see that the Hebrews were to celebrate “as a festival to the Lord” and to “celebrate God bringing them out.” In advance of their complete deliverance, God was setting up a time of remembrance for them.  Before they took one step further they were to incorporate patterns of remembrance into their lifestyle and that would lead to praise.

 

Points to Ponder

Each one of us have Passover experiences in our lives.

·       How do we remember them? 

·       What do we tell our children about these events? 

·       Do we tell them that the symbols that we have of our new life with God are far more than just symbols—that they are tangible reminders of God’s deliverance from terrible trouble?

·       How can you set up patterns for praise in the future?

 

Prayer: O Lord, my God, I remember today what you have done for me. Thank you for the symbols of our deliverance. Help me to teach others the importance of setting up patterns for praise in their lives.  Amen

 

 

DAY SIX

Pursuit of Praise

Scripture: Exodus 13:17-14:31

 

The threat of death was all around the Hebrews. Behind them the Egyptian army raged toward them. On their right and on their left walls of water could have collapsed and thundered over them at any moment. And before them the narrow gap that they could see could collapse and destroy all hope. But this was God’s miracle of deliverance. And every one of the Hebrews passed through God’s miracle. As the last foot was planted on the opposite shore, they had the opportunity to pursue praise.

 

God kept his word! God did deliver the Hebrews—and with plunder. They piled so much stuff onto their carts and wheelbarrows that they had more than what they would need for provision ahead! The 600,000 men, besides women and children, literally walked out of slavery and crossed an impassible sea on dry ground! Not one sword or whip touched their skin. That is something worth remembering!

 

You have been given many opportunities to look back and see the times and ways that God has delivered you. How do we know this? It is because you are reading this right now. If it were not for God and his great power and mercy you would have been destroyed multiple times. God’s grace and his power are eternally linked together. Over and over again he has offered the strength of his right arm to you, the deliverance from enemies, the miracles that keep you from ultimate harm.

 

We should respond the very same way the Israelites did.  And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (Exodus 14:31)

Points to Ponder

·        What is your life like now because of God’s saving work?

·        How are you now behaving in light of God’s saving work? 

·        Do you need to refresh your memory, repeat some patterns that lead to praise?

·        How should we respond to his great demonstrations of love and power? 

 

Prayer: Oh, God! Let me pursue praise instead of despair; thanksgiving instead of disappointment; rejoicing instead of grumbling. I want to praise you the rest of my life. Free my lips to praise you more! Amen

 

DAY SEVEN

Promoting Praise

Scripture:  Exodus 15:1-21

 

Now the Hebrews truly knew the reasons for unbridled praise! They sang and danced for they had been redeemed! The whole nation rejoiced. Why would they not do so? Four-hundred years of oppression had been obliterated. The oppressors had been completely stopped by God’s mighty right arm. Nature had been deployed on their behalf. Fire, cloud and water were the defensive weapons of their Savior.

 

Moses’ voice range out, “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.” And then, as one voice, the entire nation joined in! They had everything to celebrate. This was their very personal God and he deserved their very personal, individual and corporate praise. The moment was ripe for praise. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him.”

 

They retraced all of the events together, singing of the sure victory provided by their God.  Aaron, Miriam, their families, their cousins and their neighbors raised their voices in adulation. No one else could have provided such a deliverance! He was most worthy of their praise.

 

And then Miriam picked up a tambourine and delighted the Lord with praise that could not be constrained to just her voice. Her entire being was employed to praise God. She took Moses’ phrase of personal rejoicing and turned it into an exhortation for her people. There was still more singing to be done!  “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

 

Today, remember what God has done for you, your family, your church and your world. You need to sing to the Lord today for he is indeed highly exalted! Write a song to God, declare it publicly, rejoice with your whole being! Lead your people in praising God for what he has done!

 

Points to Ponder:

·        Have you written down God’s victories in your life? Do so in detail thanking him at every word.

·        Have you shared these with other—even the “old victories”?

·        Read Psalm 118 standing up, out loud and with gusto—in front of your Bible Study, family or during your personal devotional time. What did it feel like to praise God in such a way?

·        Sing your favorite praise song as loud as you can and from the depths of your heart.

 

Prayer: Oh, God, you are my God and I praise you today. May my life be filled with praise and thanksgiving to you for all that you have done and all that you will do. I use every fiber of my being to give you praise so that others may join me in the celebration. Amen

 

Excerpts from Who is God? A Devotional JourneyThrough Genesis and Exodus by M.R. Hyde

© M.R.Hyde 2024