By Bettina Menzel Marcus GableMarcus Gable The Ukraine war is heading into its fourth week. In Mariupol, it is feared that the number of victims could rise to as many as 20,000. The news ticker.
Wars & rumors of wars
And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
Some children (it seems) never say ‘I’m SORRY,’ after they do bad things to you. But I know that you do because you are a kind child of God.
Sound familiar? The parental leading or teacher’s prayer of repentance for your unkind words?
“Be kind to one another, BEFORE you must repent.”
A Lenten Short Take on Scripture
That’s NOT in the Bible, is it?
No, not in those exact words but this advice to the children of the Lord God resounds throughout the Bible.
Some of us have been thinking about Lent as a time we should pray for forgiveness for all of our shortcomings — sins of commission and omission — things we have said that we ought not to have said..
Sins of ours for which JESUS was NAILED TO THE CROSS!
Yet wouldn’t we do better to behave a Christ?
To act like JESUS in our relationships with others?
Kindness OR Repentance?
Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
What were your most recent unkind words for which you must repent?
If our hearts would only have heeded the wise words of Scripture prior to allowing our tongues spew out unkind darts toward another, then our repentance and I’m sorries would not have been so required this day.
When it is My desire,
I will discipline them..
Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Today’s Short Take on Scripture focuses on confession.
Yesterday this personal conviction came to mind from imprinted corporate confession of the church. (You’re church may not use such a confession, but should they lead us in this way?)
Confession of Sin Before Communion
Corporate Confession of Sin by the Church
From the Anglican BCP [Book of Common Prayer] (public domain, source not secure)
Minister and People
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most Justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory or thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
New King James Version; Неемія 9
Ukrainian Bible; Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition; נחמיה The Westminster Leningrad Codex; Неемия 9 New Russian Translation
A corporate Confession of Sin after the jews rebuild the second temple
9 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers..
And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God..
“You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
“But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments.
They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion [They].. [sinned: a long list of confession]
Nehemiah 16-17a – Corporate Confession of Sin by the people prior to rededication to worship of the Lord God
30 Yet for many years You had patience with them..
But we have done wickedly. 34 Neither our kings nor our princes, Our priests nor our fathers, Have kept Your law, Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies, With which You testified against them..
“Here we are, servants today!
Nehemiah 9:36a NKJV
For You are God, gracious and merciful.
32 “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.
“And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it;
Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”
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