“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” Neh 1:4 (NIV)
Nehemiah was a slave in Babylon and served as cupbearer to the king. Once he received word about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile and about Jerusalem, Nehemiah was gripped with a tremendous burden to pray. As he fasted and prayed, Nehemiah confessed his own sins and the sins of the Israelites. He prayed, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses”(Neh. 1:6-7 NIV).
Did you notice how Nehemiah said “we” Israelites? He took ownership for his own sins and for the sins of his people. Is it possible to confess the sins of our nation? Can we pray for our nation and actually confess the sins of our nation? When you are gripped with a burden to pray for our nation, it will mandate confronting and confessing the sins of our nation. You cannot spend time alone with God in prayer for our nation without being cognizant of the national sin that breaks the heart of God.
Our nation is made up of fallen and flawed human beings who sometimes selfishly seek to gratify the cravings of their sin nature. God wants us to be a holy nation. God wants us to be a nation that fears and reveres Him. We can cry out to God on behalf of our nation and confess the sins that God brings to our attention. We can pray for revival and spiritual awakening to come to our nation.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
8 replies on “Confessing the Sins of Our Nation”
Dr. Trammell,
Greetings!
Awesome devotions…they are now a daily part of my quiet time. I thank God for our growing intimate friendship…God’s blessing upon, your family and the Champion Forest congregation. Have a blessed weekend!
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