Cleansed By Confession

Let Jesus lead you to the banquet hall and let His banner of love be over your life. His mercies are new every day, and He wants to create in you a clean heart where you help others experience the power of Christ.

“David…said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people…to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back… it seemed right to all the people. They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might…Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died…David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.” 1 Chronicles 13:1-14

David and the people decided to bring back the ark, which meant that they wanted the presence of God. They wanted more, so they spread word far and wide to come and join. Their desire was good, but their process was not.

It may seem like a subtle note, but the text says they used a new cart to carry God’s presence. If you remember back in Numbers, God had told them how to carry the ark. It was by hand, with many men carrying it on their shoulders. So they did not do what God said.

The people preferred efficiency and ease when it came to pursuing the presence of God. They wanted to do things their way and not God’s way. The cart probably seemed like the faster route, but God is more interested in strengthening you than saving time. Is there anywhere in your life you have been more focused on efficiency than intimacy with God?

David was afraid and asked God how he could draw close. The truth is Uzzah never should have died. He never should have been pushing a cart. He should have listened. David puts aside his plans for God’s presence and forfeits the blessing that comes with drawing close to Him. How about you? Is pursuing God what is most important? Are you willing to follow Jesus and keep His commands according to His word, or does convenience supersede doing what He says?

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalms 51:1-17

Confession is a gift. It cleanses and restores. It helps prepare our hearts for more of God’s presence. Confession was a critical component of how David drew close to God. Confession is simply truth-telling. It is you coming into alignment through honesty with the Holy One who already knows all you have done. Have you cleansed yourself with Christ through confession today?

Living in a fallen world with sinful flesh, we all need to recognize our deep need for God’s mercy. We are made right by the blood of God, but we should never let go of the truth that we are sinners in need of a Savior. The Bible says no one is perfect. Not one but Jesus. If you have not sought the mercy of God, you may be missing out on opening the door to the healing that Jesus has for you.

David said, create in me a new heart. Restore the joy of my salvation. David did not try to rule the kingdom or shepherd others in his own strength. He humbled himself and asked for more of God’s presence. He recognized that the one thing he could give back to God was a humble heart. The same is true for us. God wants your heart. There are many things competing for the throne of your heart. What will win?

Notice that David said that as he is restored, he will use his gifts to help others. He does not receive the strength to sit on his hands. He goes to help other sinners. He wants everyone to know how sweet the mercy of God is, so as he is strengthened, he renews his commitment to saving others. As you are strengthened, will you do the same? Who can you strengthen?

“I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love. My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. My beloved is mine and I am his” Song of Songs 2:3-16

Do you delight to dwell close to God? God wants to so fill your heart with the delight that comes from His presence that as you walk in your purpose, you radiate joy. Jesus continually said to us, come and follow me. He offered an invitation to a life unlike anything we have experienced.

Where is He taking us? To the wedding banquet where we renew our commitment and the new covenant with Him. Everything we do is in response to our relationship with Jesus. We do not operate out of obligation; we love because we are loved. We bring healing because we have been healed. We pass the peace because we have finally found it.

Solomon said the winter has passed. Like David, he has found the mercy of God and is no longer dead like wintertime. The season of singing has come, just like David said, with the joy of salvation. Do you have a song in your heart?

Solomon warned that we must watch out for the little foxes that can ruin our vineyards. Just like David, he knew that there are things in our lives that can be barriers to renewing a right spirit with God. What foxes have you allowed loose in your vineyard?

Have you made the declaration that you are Jesus’ and He is yours? The invitation is for intimacy with God.

“The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves. So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again. Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name. But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again. “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine.“ Jeremiah 34:8-17

The hard part about following Jesus is that we are still flesh and blood. We still live in the world of materialism and consumer desires. We live in a world where fear creeps in, and we worry about how things will work out. We question our identities, and we listen to what is false. The truth is we all fall short of the glory of God. We need confession and commitment to trusting God.

The people proclaimed freedom, but then, when they counted the cost, they chose to hold others captive rather than continue on the path of living out God’s purposes. They stopped loving their neighbors and following God’s ways. Just like the Israelites, who chose to use a new cart, their own preferences got in the way of God’s purposes.

Where have you limited your love? Where have you taken a step back or chosen offense over forgiveness, fear over faith, or worry over worship? There is freedom in confession.

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple…Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” Acts 3:1-20

In the time after they had received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter and John were pursuing the presence of God in the temple. Even though they had the Holy Spirit, they chose to center their lives on continually pursuing more of God’s presence. They were not satisfied, nor did they settle for less than God had for them.

Along the way, they met a man who was lame. More often than not, it is as we go about our daily lives that we encounter others who need help. You do not need to be a famous evangelist to be a person of impact. Peter did not focus on what he did not have, nor did he give the man what he wanted. He gave him what he needed: mercy, hope, salvation. All the gifts found in the name of Jesus.

Do you realize you have something that you can give people that is worth more than gold? If we live in a world where everyone goes through hurt, are the healing, hope, and help found in Jesus not the best gifts you can give anyone else?

It would have been so easy for Peter and John to walk past the lame man. It was time for prayer, and they had other plans. But followers of Jesus choose Him over convenience. They do not use new carts nor forfeit opportunities to share Christ.

After the man is healed, everyone is amazed. God is amazing, and we will see signs of His power as we make room for more of His presence. The message Peter had for the people is the same one that David had, only it is with the fulfillment of how cleansing occurs. We are washed clean by the blood of Christ. Confession lays down the weight of sin, and in Christ we are made white as snow.

The question is whether we will be like the people who temporarily proclaimed freedom only to turn away when the cost was too great, like the people who preferred their ways and convenience over the strength that comes from carrying the ark the right way, or whether we will be present like Peter and pass along the peace we have found with God through Jesus Christ. What will you choose today?

The invitation is to let Jesus lead you to the banquet hall and let His banner of love be over your life. Let Him heal your past and equip you for the present, that you might help others along the way to the celebration. Confess and be cleansed. Let Christ create in you a new heart, and as He does, you will enter the season of singing because of the joy in your heart, knowing you are His.

Also enjoy this song about God's love as a banner over us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWvKtgK5Jg0&list=RDLWvKtgK5Jg0&start_radio=1