Songs of Summer; Week 5, June 10, 2018

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.”  We probably all recognize that quote and the truth of it, but let me tweak it: “To err is human; to botch the confession is too!” 

 

I can illustrate this with several recent blunders and the gaffes in the accompanying “apologies.”  Let me begin with a relatively insignificant example and then ratchet up to more significant ones.

 

1. R. Smith crushed the hearts of his teammates and the whole Cavalier nation in an epic error in game 1 of this year’s NBA Finals.  A mental error cost them that game (and maybe the whole series).  Rather than coming clean and admitting that he didn’t know that the score was tied as time elapsed, he stumbled through an incoherent “apology” that actually threw his teammates under the bus! 

 

To err is human; to botch the confession is too.

 

Roseanne Barr, riding a wave of popularity for the reboot of her namesake show, tweets a cruel and widely-viewed-as-racist comment about another lady.  Her “confession” was that she was not really responsible.  It was the Ambien she was taking. 

 

To err is human; to botch the confession is too.

 

In a still more serious example, the governor of Missouri cheats on his wife and gets into all sorts of problems.  He ends up resigning.  Here’s a portion of his speech:

 

"Today I am announcing that I will resign as governor of Missouri . . . . We have accomplished a lot. I am proud of . . . all our work. The last few months have been incredibly difficult for me, for my family, for my team, for my friends and for many, many people. This ordeal has been designed to cause an incredible amount of strain on my family; millions of dollars of mounting legal bills, endless personal attacks designed to cause maximum damage to family and friends; legal harassment of colleagues, friends and campaign workers. . . .  I know, and people of good faith know, that I am not perfect. But I have not broken any laws or committed any offense worthy of this treatment. . . .  This is not the end of our fight. I will always be a fighter. . . . So for the moment, let us walk off the battlefield with our heads held high.  We have a good and a proud story to tell our children. Let's love them and each other every day. May God continue to bless you and to bless the great state of Missouri."

 

To err is human; to botch the confession is too. 

 

In all three of these examples, their “confessions” made their errors worse, not better.  Before we, as erring, sinning humans can get to divine forgiveness, we must learn to confess.  To say it another way, “To come clean, we’ve got to come clean.”  We’ll never be forgiven, unless we learn to confess humbly and genuinely our sins.

 

King David was human.  He erred often and greatly.  But the good news is that his great sins were covered by a greater grace. 

 

Psalm 51 is the account of David’s confession.  God will teach us that we too have to “come clean to come clean.”

 

Songs of the Summer

“Come Clean to Come Clean”

Psalm 51:1-12

 

1. A humble request

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  (51:1-2)

 

1. The backgroundof the request
2. The basisfor the request

2. A heartfelt remorse

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment(51:3-4).

 

1. For our guilt
2. For our God

3. A happy restoration

Restore to me the joy of your salvation (51:12a).

 

1. The Lord restores our witness
2. The Lord restores our worship