Be Still and Know - "We Have Sinned And Done Wrong"

(from www.premierchristianradio.com)

1. Daniel 9.5-6 NLT
   
   
   
   
   
   'But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets.'
   
   As Daniel reflected on the history of his people, he realised that he needed to come to God with a prayer of confession. He knew that he was part of a nation that had rebelled against God for many centuries. He recognised that their history was a tragic catalogue of failure and disobedience. God had given them every opportunity to put things right, but they had chosen to live in opposition to him. However, Daniel knew that his generous God was ready to forgive their sins if only the people would turn to him.
   
   When we confess our sins what we are doing is facing the facts about ourselves and our world. This is something we have to do in everyday life, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to us. My wife’s car recently broke down. The clutch had gone. What we needed to do was to face up to the fact that the old clutch was no longer any good, and find a good reliable mechanic to fit a new one. It would have been pointless complaining about the state of the car industry, deploring the unreliability of clutches in general and bemoaning our personal misfortune.
   
   We simply needed to recognise the problem and do something about it. We find ourselves in a similar position with sin. We have sinned individually and as a nation. It’s a fact. We, therefore, need to come to someone who can forgive us and set us free to live a forgiven life, and that’s precisely what God offers us.
   
   
   
   
   
   This was a turning point for Daniel and, having brought his prayer of confession, God then spoke to him through his messenger, Gabriel, and gave him a clear view of what the future would look like.
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: What is your prayer of confession today?
   
   Prayer: Loving Father, I recognise that I am a sinner and live amongst a people who have rebelled against you. Thank you that you are willing to set me free from my sins and give me a new life. Amen