“And the judgment is this:
the light has come into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light…” – John 3:19

Dishonesty says, essentially, “I do not trust that you will love me.”

Church always manages to give me pause, especially when it comes to what is most important. This happened again Sunday morning. However, rather than in the music or the message – although both were absolutely on-point – this time it was the words of confession that grabbed my interest.

First, in the invitation to confession, pastor Betty reminded us that “in Advent we prepare for the coming of Christ, full of grace and truth.” Then she went on to say that, “as we trust in God’s unfailing grace, it is important that we tell the truth about ourselves.” Confession, in other words, is an effective tool to the extent that we present ourselves honestly.

I can’t help but think about how I try to position myself as more worthy of God’s love than I really am, forgetting that God is not interested in my perfection so much as my authenticity, my honesty and my best.

I understand the idea completely. If someone holds back truth when it comes to their need for healing and grace and compassion, then where is the relationship? Honesty sets up grace and healing – whereas withholding truth shuts out love, and eventually shuts down hope.

We’re in this together!

This is where yesterday’s “corporate” (together) part of the confession helped. “Forgive us Lord,” we all said in one voice, “when we allow darkness to overcome the light which has come into the world, when hardness of heart keeps us from seeing and believing in your song. Let your grace fill us. Forgive our doubts. And renew our hope that we may watch and wait and once more hear the glad story….”

Once more.

But my hard heart – your hard heart – closes down God’s song of promise. Not because God is no longer full of grace and truth but because – as John puts it in his Gospel – sometime we prefer the darkness to the light.

In this regard God’s heart mirrors ours as parents. Especially the way dishonesty cuts to the quick. Dishonesty says, essentially, “I do not trust that you will love me.” But reality is quite the opposite. Parents’ love is the strongest and yet most tender when their children come clean about what is hurting them and what they need help with. It is untruth that drives the wedge, not wrongdoing.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10

Do you trust that you will still be loved? Oh, believe me, the healing will begin immediately.

If you ask, Jesus will give you living water –DEREK