AS SICK AS OUR SECRETS

“As Sick As Our Secrets”
Lenten Reflection #3

Psalm 32

As indicated in reflection #1, I am writing a Lenten Devotional Booklet for our congregation, and while I know that many of you do not observe Lent, some of these thoughts may give you pause for reflection.

Years ago, I heard someone say that we are as “sick as our secrets,” and I’ve come to believe that it is a spiritual truth. Our secrets- our un-confessed guilt, shame, and sin- are too heavy for us. They distort our relationship with God and others, and they force us to live one lie after another. Indeed, secret sins make it impossible for us to have a healthy relationship with God, and they block His grace from reaching our hearts. If our spirits are clogged with secrets, we will be evasive and dishonest with everyone who is trying to love us, including God. Real love only exists when we are fully known and loved anyway. In fact, one could even say that grace demands this depth of intimacy and transparency.

In short, our secrets will kill us, which is why John the Baptist was called to perform “baptisms of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.” Forgiveness, of course, is an act of God… but we will never receive it unless we have a clean heart. Thus, our Lenten journey begins with complete surrender and full confession of our sins. Unless we confess our sins completely, we will always suspect that God wouldn’t love us if He really knew us, and we will never be free to “let go” and follow Jesus. Confession is not only good for the soul- it is necessary for the journey. No less a figure than King David knew this, and the 51^st Psalm is perhaps the greatest confessional prayer ever written. Today, however, our attention is drawn to Psalm 32, which was also written by David. Please read the Psalm for yourself and then ponder my periphrastic words below.

Blessed is the one who transgressions are forgiven; blessed is the one whose sin is not counted against him… because there is no deceit in his spirit. If we keep secrets and hold our sins within, our strength will be sapped. This has been my experience, but when I confessed my transgressions, you O Lord, took my guilt away! Gracious God, my sins had deceived me, but when you freed me from them, I was able to trust in you entirely. O Lord, may others discover that instead of hiding in their sins, it is far better for them to rest in you. If they confess their sins entirely, you will be their hiding place and they will be surrounded with songs of deliverance.