...I am so sorry...

“8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” 1 John 1:8-10.

Dear friends, for most of my life I have lead worship as a Pastor. In the beginning of worship I have always invited worshipers to confess their sins, along with me, and to pray that God would forgive all of our sins. These words from John’s 1st Letter — printed above — have been part of the prayer I prayed every day for many decades. 

These words are a reminder to me that it is so silly to imagine that you and I can live without sinning against God. We all have disobeyed God’s commandments. But never forget that God loves you and wants to forgive you. That’s what Jesus did on the Cross — He forgave you!

Every day I take time to ask God to forgive me. You can use your own words or use a prayer you may have learned in your past. You can also confess your sins in your worship time. Most of the time I use my own words.

This is similar to what I pray every day: Oh God, it’s me, Paul, again. And I want to ask You to forgive me again for my sins. I am so sorry that I have sinned against You — for You deserve better than the many ways I have offended You. I hate being a sinner because I fear the loss of heaven and pangs of hell.  

But more than anything else I hate my sins because I have abandoned You and hurt You. So, I promise — with the help of Your loving grace — to turn to You now and never to abandon You again and sin — and to lean on Your grace, Your help, to avoid sinning and instead to follow You. I pray for Your forgiveness and help. And this I pray through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

So dear friends, I invite you when you pray each day, to stop and ask God to forgive you. He loves to forgive you. He died to forgive you. Spend some time in His Word, and God will speak to You through His Word.

Have a blessed day! God is with you!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.