2 Chronicles 6:36-39
36 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near, 37 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 38 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 39 then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
This passage from Solomon's prayer acknowledges that we all sin (verse 36). Even the greatest Christian saints still sin sometimes. This seems obvious, but all too often we try to deny our sin and pretend that everything is okay. But when we do that, we miss an opportunity for growth. Although sin is the commonality that we start from, it is not the end of the story. Verse 37 goes on to say that "if they turn their heart", "repent", “plead with you”, and admit that "we have sinned", then God will forgive us (verse 39). This is the good news, that we are not stuck in our sin, but can repent and receive forgiveness.
Lord, I have indeed sinned and acted wickedly. Please hear my prayers, and forgive me for my sin.
36 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near, 37 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 38 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 39 then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
This passage from Solomon's prayer acknowledges that we all sin (verse 36). Even the greatest Christian saints still sin sometimes. This seems obvious, but all too often we try to deny our sin and pretend that everything is okay. But when we do that, we miss an opportunity for growth. Although sin is the commonality that we start from, it is not the end of the story. Verse 37 goes on to say that "if they turn their heart", "repent", “plead with you”, and admit that "we have sinned", then God will forgive us (verse 39). This is the good news, that we are not stuck in our sin, but can repent and receive forgiveness.
Lord, I have indeed sinned and acted wickedly. Please hear my prayers, and forgive me for my sin.