The Glory of Confession

We often see confession of sin as a self-focused activity. But there is something much greater going on. Keep Reading...

READ
Joshua 7:19 - Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”

REFLECT
After a resounding victory at Jericho, the people of Israel were ready to press on to take the Promised Land. The next battle should have been an easy victory - the city of Ai. But for some reason, the Israelites received a great beating. The flush of victory quickly drained away, and Israel was left with a stunning loss.

Why did this happen? God told Joshua that there was sin in the Israelite camp. As long as there was intentional rebellion against God, there could be no further victory. In order to find out who the rebel was, Joshua brought forward the tribes and clans one at a time. Eventually, Achan was found to be the rebel who had stolen and hidden loot from Jericho.

The worst part of Achan's sin was not the stealing of loot from Jericho. It was the attempt to steal and tarnish the glory of God. In fact, each time we sin, we are robbing God of his glory. We are stealing away the honor that he deserves.

To set things right, Achan needed to confess (openly acknowledge and be honest about) his sin. This open, honest confession would give glory to God. In other words, he was giving back the glory that he had stolen.

When you confess your sins to God, you are actually giving him glory. You are recognizing the full weight of your sin - an attempt to smear the glory of God. Your confession re-positions God in your life. You come off the throne. He again receives the glory from you.

RESPOND
Confession is to be so much more than just clearing your conscience. It is an act of worship. Will you ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin so that you can give glory to God? Do not allow any glory-stealing in your life.