I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
– Psalm 32:5
Did you know the Hebrew word for thanks is also translated as confess? It’s true. But what do you think of when you hear the word confess, it’s probably NOT thanks.
Perhaps it’s coming before your Heavenly Father—again—and confessing your sins.
Perhaps it’s a small booth off to the side of the church, where you confess your sins to the priest.
Perhaps—and you watch too many cop shows—it’s the room where the detectives try to get you to confess to a criminal act.
There is another kind of confession, where you confess the Name of the Lord, essentially that He alone is God. But even in these instances, the acknowledgement of sin is also included (see 2 Chronicles 6:24-27).
The root definition for thanks (or confess) is to throw or cast away. In either case, you cast them upon Christ—either as praise, or seeking forgiveness; for He alone forgives sins. And then what do you do? You thank Him for His forgiveness.
One Thing
I guess the point of this exercise is to get you to look at confession as an opportunity to give thanks! Don’t let your negative attitude keep you from a right relationship with Him. You can come before Him with thanksgiving and confess.
Consider the outcome, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Forgiven and cleansed. Two excellent reasons to give thanks.
Read the previous blog from this series, The How and Why of Thanksgiving
