Vineyard Evensong Part 8
Our next element for discussion in Vineyard Evensong is the General Confession. The General Confession is known as an act of contrition. Contrition is sincere and complete remorse for sins that a person has committed. Contrition comes from the Latin “contritus” which means “ground to pieces” or “crushed by guilt”.
The words of the act of contrition are words that a person prays to God, asking him for forgiveness of all their sins. The words of the prayer mention how sorry a person is towards God for sinning, how they detest the sin they have committed and the sinner’s desire to not sin again.
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all people, we acknowledge and lament our many sins and the wickedness we have committed time after time, by thought, word and deed against Your divine majesty. We earnestly repent, and are deeply sorry for these our wrongdoings; the memory of them weighs us down, the burden of them is too great for us to bear. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. For Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that from this time forward we may always serve and please You in newness of life, to the honor and glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
As we pray this prayer of confession we are asking God for His grace and mercy to not only forgive us for what we have done, but to help us as we try and live by doing the next right thing. We are promising to do our part in cooperating with the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit as we live out each day making decisions to live His way instead of our own. This is a lifelong journey, but it begins and continues with a contrite heart.
Psalm 51 is one of my favorites and it reflects this idea of contrition and moving forward in Christ. David writes this Psalm after he is confronted by the Prophet Nathan who calls him out after he had sinned with Bathsheba and tried to cover it up by first attempting to trick her husband Uriah and then eventually arranging to have him killed in battle.
Psalm 51:1-19 (NIV)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
In this Psalm, David demonstrates what true repentance looks like. True repentance is comprised of conviction, confession, Godly sorrow, prayer for mercy and forgiveness, and an action plan for change. As the Psalmist says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
