A Hymn for Confessing Sin

At Wednesday prayer meeting, our church family is going through the A-C-T-S prayer model (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication). 

That "C" for confession gets  me every time I'm reminded of this important part of church life.

Come to church and adore God? Absolutely.

Come to church and thank God. But of course.

Come to church and supplicate (or ask) God for His blessings and help? You bet.

Come to church and confess sin? Oh. That. Now you're getting personal.

While confession definitely comes easier to certain personalities than others, it still takes introspection, humility and a self-awareness that requires surrender and the hard work of repentance to be genuine.

And yet it's a vital part of church life and spiritual growth, bringing with it "peace and light" according to hymn writer Horatius Bonar.

Known as "The Prince of Scottish Hymn Writers" with over 600 hymns to his credit, Mr. Bonar gives us the words we need to look deep in our own hearts, identify sin and confess. 

No, Not Despairingly

by Horatius Bonar

No, not despairingly
Come I to Thee;
No, not distrustingly
Bend I the knee:
Sin hath gone over me,
Yet is this still my plea,
Jesus hath died.

Ah! Mine iniquity
Crimson has been,
Infinite, infinite,
Sin upon sin;
Sin of not loving Thee,
Sin of not trusting Thee,
Infinite sin.

Lord, I confess to Thee
Sadly my sin;
All am tell I Thee,
All I have been:
Purge Thou my sin away,
Wash Thou my soul this day;
Lord, make me clean.

Faithful and just art Thou,
Forgiving all;
Loving and kind art Thou
When poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood,
Blood of the Lamb of God,
Pass o'er my soul.

Then all is peace and light
This soul within;
Thus shall I walk with Thee,
The loved Unseen;
Leaning on Thee, my God,
Guided along the road,
Nothing between.