Written by Vivian Arcila, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada
Listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! (Ne 1:6 NLT)
The book of Nehemiah not only sequentially details the biblical way to resolve conflicts and crises but also highlights the importance of confessing sin as an essential part of restoring our relationship with God.
It is interesting that when Nehemiah learns of the situation in Jerusalem and its captives, the first thing he mentions in his prayer is confession, not only of his personal sin but also of his family and his nation. He knew that the disobedience of the people of Israel had resulted in their destruction, and he felt responsible as well. Since ancient times, we have noticed that sin that is not corrected and is practiced deliberately can affect not only the person who commits it but also their family and even an entire nation.
Psalm 14:3 says, "But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!" As a God-fearing man, Nehemiah was aware that, although his works were pleasing to God, the human being is a sinner by nature. Nehemiah may have felt that he could have done more for his people before things got worse, but the truth is that confession is an essential part of our Christian lives.
Our walk in Christ begins with acknowledging that we have sinned before Him, repenting of our sins, and confessing Jesus as our Lord and Savior, which is confirmed with baptism and perseverance. Romans 10:9 says, "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." The doors of spiritual blessings begin to open with confession.
However, confession does not get stuck at the moment when we give our lives to Jesus. It should be a daily act to recognize Christ's lordship and discover our faults. In the face of every difficult situation, we must examine ourselves and confess our offenses to our Creator. In that moment of reflection, think about how much our personal sin has affected the family and, in some way, the community or society, and confess before God our participation in it, either directly or indirectly. It is not only sin to do evil to our fellow men, but also to fail to do good as James 4:17 says, "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."
Am I studying the Bible, praying, examining myself, and confessing my sins frequently? That helps me connect to God and cultivate a meek character that my family, church brothers and sisters, neighbors, drivers, people at the grocery store, and coworkers will notice. Not having good communion with God affects us personally because we lose peace, which is reflected in the treatment of our relatives and neighbors, causing a domino effect on the individual, family, church, society, and the whole world.
Let's try to make an effort daily in our relationship with God because it impacts, in one way or another, the life of our family and the lives of the people around us. Before we met Jesus, we were like a city with walls destroyed by sin. Now, we are being built on the rock that is Christ.