A SCHOOL boy was playing one day, and accidentally broke a window in the school-house. Do you think he tried to keep the teacher from finding out who broke the window? We shall soon see.
There is a verse (Proverbs 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)) which says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
To cover sins means to hide them and keep people from knowing anything about them. If we do this, we shall not get along well—we shall not prosper.
But the school boy did not try to cover what he had done. He went to his teacher and told her all about it. She was much pleased to think the boy was so honest, and she spoke very kindly to him.
When we confess our sins and forsake, them, mercy is shown.
Often people do something wrong and then, to keep from being found out, tell a lie about it, thus adding one sin to another. How much easier and better it is to confess the wrong at once.
This is true of sins toward God, as well as of sins toward man.
When a lost sinner comes to God confessing his sins, the Lord is merciful. He forgives the sins and gives the sinner eternal life.
But if the sinner will not turn to God —if he goes on sinning—there is no mercy for him. He can only expect to receive the punishment he deserves, and spend an eternity of misery.
If there is one dear reader of this paper who is still going on in sin, may that one go to God at once, confess his sins, and ask God’s mercy and forgiveness. He never turns any one away.
ML 06/07/1903