 |
| Source: uribrito.com |
Last night my family and I attended a church-wide prayer meeting at the encouragement of our pastor. This past Sunday, he had relayed to the congregation that the spiritual warfare he and the church was currently experiencing was at an all-time high. He went on to tell us, tears streaming down his checks, that over these past six months, more bizarre and painful situations were occurring within the church, and amongst its families, than over his entire 8-year career as our senior pastor. As a result, the elders of the church had quickly organized an impromptu prayer meeting, scheduled for a few nights later, and our pastor urged us all to make it a top priority.
When we pulled up to the church last night, the church parking lot was packed. Families were streaming into the sanctuary, so much so that one of our pastoral interns had to go to the adjacent church office to make many more copies of the typed list of prayer items that were made available for everyone in the foyer.
What soon followed was simply...magical (if I can use such a term in reference to the church!). In truth, it was other-worldly; a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit in our midst.
The prayer meeting started out innocuously enough, much as our Sunday service traditionally does: with a few praise songs, led by a guitarist, pianist, and vocal soloist. Next our pastor walked up to the lectern and spoke briefly about the importance of prayer, using a quote from Oswald Chambers--something to the effect that prayer doesn't just equip us to do God's work: it IS the work.
Then he encouraged each of us to consider one attribute of God and share it aloud during our corporate time of prayer, as we stood together at our seats. Various people shared about God's holiness, thanked Him for His sovereignty, His infinite love and grace, His forgiveness. My soul was warmed as I heard the high-pitches and the deep tenors of voices of men and women, young and old alike.
After about 15 minutes of prayer, our pastor closed out this offering of praise and we settled back into our seats. Next, an elder advanced to the podium and told us that we would be having a time of personal and corporate confession of our sins. Now, this is not unusual for us to do on Sunday mornings--there is always a time of elder-led confession, but it is generally done using a prepared confessional prayer that is projected on the overhead screens--the elder reads it aloud, and we consent to it as we follow along in our hearts. Then there are a few minutes afterwards of quiet time when you can confess your sins silently to God.
However, last night's time of confession was different. Our elder instructed us to stand up where we were and confess our individual sins aloud to the group, as we felt led. He told us we didn't have to tell everything (which elicited a few muffled chuckles from the group), but to confess our sins to God and one another...and he offered to go first.
So, we bowed our heads again, this time seated where we were, and our elder confessed to laziness--he confessed that when he comes home from work, he likes to enjoy a glass of wine and eat a handful of peanuts and read a book, and wants to be left alone and not be bothered.
And then tears just started streaming down my face.
Because I knew then that we were going there.
His confession was so specific, so humble and sincere, and involved a taboo subject such as alcohol (I've been in enough church circles that to many, imbibing, even in moderation, is seen as criminal).
And every bit of his confession was beautiful.
And as I futzed around for a Kleenex from my purse, dabbed my eyes, and prepared myself to share my own sin with my church body, I felt my husband reach for my hand and hold it close in his own.
And I felt nothing but love and warmth, NOT guilt and shame, from my family, from my church, and from my God.
After several others had the courage to share, I was moved to confess my own sin of raising my voice, yelling at those nearest-and-dearest to my heart, and not showering them with patience, gentleness, and kindness like God instructs me to do with those entrusted to my care.
I can't quite express to you what it was like to be in that room that night, with eyes closed and heads bowed, hearing children confess to disobeying parents; hearing grown men confess to struggling with the fear of man--worrying about their performance and what others might think of them, instead of fearing God; hearing various confessions of impatience, greed, anger, pride, lust, and many, many more. We confessed as a congregation to being complacent and not looking outside into the community with compassion and love. However, all I can say is that it was sooo good and healing, and I've never loved my church family more.
I think the lie that Satan offers to us is that guilt and shame are all bound-up with confession. The shackles of fear--the fear of man, especially--prevent us from confessing our sin corporately.
However, dear friend, I would submit to you that it is just the opposite! How freeing it was to confess my sin within the context of a redemptive, faith community!
And it is transformative.
You see, in Bible times, corporate confession did not happen often, but when it did happen, it forever changed the hearts of God's people and the trajectory of their nation (and later, the Church).
The longer I am a Christian, and as I attend more and more churches as a result of all our moves, the more I am convinced that the Spirit is most at work in the place where confession and repentance occur. It is not in the church programming, sound theological views, and fellow-shipping (although it can be)--no, it is where sin is repented of and confessed.
And where the Spirit is, there is LIFE and all that precious fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
So what about you, dear one? Have you considered the power of corporate confession in your life and in the life of your church? If you want to explore this topic further, I'd encourage you to check out this and this and this previous blog post and explore the Scriptures they proclaim. I assure you, you will not be the same after you take the time to search your heart and confess your sin in the context of biblical community!
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” --Oswald Chambers
No comments