Confession

In His Name Devotionals
CONFESSION

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed.” (Daniel 9:4)

Confessing your sins means you agree with God that you have offended His hold character and are worthy of punishment and in need of forgiveness. That’s exactly what Daniel does in Daniel 9:5-16. Verse 20 summarizes his prayer, “I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God” (Daniel 9:20).

Unlike some who suffer God’s chastening, Daniel did not shift the blame for Israel’s calamity. Instead he admitted that his people had willfully disobeyed God’s Word and ignored His prophets, thereby bringing judgment upon themselves. Once they were a nation blessed by God; now they were aliens and captives in a foreign land. God had kept His promise to curse them if they disobeyed Him (Deuteronomy 28:15).

In Daniel 9:12-15, Daniel analyzes the consequences of Israel’s sin, which included her captivity and the guilt she bore for her arrogance and her reluctance to repent.

Verse 14 reflects perhaps the most important aspect of confession—Daniel’s affirmation that “the Lord our God is righteous in everything He does. We deserve this punishment, so don’t accuse Him of acting unjustly” (Daniel 9:14).

Confession therefore serves a dual purpose: it brings forgiveness, and it frees God to chasten His people without bringing accusations of inequity or injustice upon Himself.

Daniel’s prayer came at a special time in Israel’s history, but undoubtedly confession was a regular part of his life. That should be your pattern as well. Do not wait until disaster strikes before you confess your sin. Make it a daily practice.