Confession

From: CareLines: Volume 4

By: Paul J. Pascoe

• 1 min. read • grade level: 4

EZR 9:5-6⁵And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, ⁶And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. (Ezra 9:5‑6)

I fell upon my knees . . . and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee.

Ezra 9:5, 6⁵And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, ⁶And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. (Ezra 9:5‑6)

Ezra was totally ashamed when he found out that the Israelites had taken wives and husbands from the local Gentile people. This had been forbidden by God. Ezra had not done this but he confessed it to God just as if he had. This is the heart of a true shepherd. He will take the sin of another and pour out his heart to God as if he had done it himself. How we need to confess to God our failures and recognize the failures of others as our own. God blesses those who take a humble place.

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