T H I N K   ON   T H I S :

Practice self-examination.  “A specific sin may be hidden even from those who are nearest to us, but if forms an impenetrable cloud between ourself and God and robs our prayer of its reality: if we persist in sinning and trying to pray, our religion will soon become an empty sham. On the other hand we have the assurance that ‘if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ Once the wind of divine grace has swept the cloud away, we feel immediately the warmth of His love and fellowship restored: there follows a heavenly peace which ‘passeth understanding’. In that peace we shall find both the willingness to accept any consequences our sin may bring and a re-awakening of our determination to do the will of God. Whilst this experience is intensified by specific sin, it is not confined to it. No day passes without a consciousness of things we have done which are out of harmony with our calling as children of God — opportunities lost, evil or angry thoughts which have only failed to degenerate into deeds through our inability to implement them. These are clouds which sweep across the sun. To be effective, ‘Forgive us our trespasses’ must be a heart-searching confession of recollected failures and not an ambiguous generalization which merely recognizes our unworthiness and can sometimes leave a smug feeling of self-satisfaction.”

Prayer by Melva Purkis and Cyril Tennant