You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

The entire chapter of Nehemiah 9 describes a nation partaking in humble confession. The people of Israel had returned from exile and, in 445 B.C., completed reconstruction on Jerusalem’s walls. This was an incredible moment for them. Several generations prior to this, Babylon had swept through and razed Jerusalem and now the Israelites were finally permitted to return to their ancestral homes. This was an answer to countless prayers from a hurting people. A month after the wall was rebuilt, they assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust sprinkled on their heads. They devoted the whole day to repenting of their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They understood and acknowledged how badly they missed the mark and that their entire nation had gone astray. This was an impressive display of contrition (feeling remorse and sorrow) and humility that spanned reading the Book of the Law, repentance, then worship.

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We often judge the Israelites of the Old Testament harshly (or at least I do). When they lacked faith prior to crossing the Red Sea or sinfully stockpiled manna in the desert or began worshipping a golden calf while Moses was bringing back the Ten Commandments, we tend to roll our eyes and wonder how they could be so dense – never mind that we display the same waywardness on a daily basis. But this group confession in Nehemiah cuts against that narrative. It was a vital act for recovering God’s intent for his chosen people.

When was the last time you confessed sin to God?

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For me, it was a few days ago when I realized I was over invested in my favorite football team. When they lost and got kicked out of the playoffs, my night was ruined. I was sour and rude to my wife and kids. I awoke the next day depressed…over my college football team.

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After texting with some despondent friends, we came to the conclusion that we were all at fault for sports idolatry. It feels silly to compare it to the Israelites returning from exile, but hopefully it hits home and you can relate. We can miss the mark on seemingly insignificant things every day, and it still matters to God that we repent and seek his forgiveness – to God, it’s all about relationship.

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When we go back to the fifth century B.C. scenario, consider the steps they took – first they read the Word, then they repented, then they worshipped. Reread today’s verse. It’s a big proclamation about a big God!

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The people of Israel took a long path to confession. But when they arrived at their sacred homeland and rebuilt, they acknowledged God’s steadfastness and repented of their sins en masse, leading to a new time of worship and praise.

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And personally, that’s a place I often come to when I confess sins. I get a sense of God’s bigness, of his utter power and might. The fact that he can wipe my sins away and present me cleansed by his blood means he deserves all my worship.

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After all, what’s the point of confessing our sins? It’s not so we can feel guilt or shame. It’s to humble ourselves and bring our disobedience to Christ, so that he can take our sins to the cross and defeat them. Through that, we can convene with him as blameless saints. Is that not praiseworthy?

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Today, why not use the same process employed by the Israelites? Read the Word, repent of sins, and praise God. It’s a simple formula and you have everything to gain.

Dear God, you are big enough to handle all my sin. I am sorry that I disobey you, that I get distracted, that I wander from you. I need you. Help me to follow you. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. I love you. Amen.