Confessing the Sin of Scars
If you Confess, He will Forgive
I’m a dog-dude. Good people always are. I’ve read that Cat people ask forgiveness 4 times more than non-cat people. It’s science. I’m also a farm boy and loved my dirty farm dogs growing up in Southwest Louisiana. There was Odie, Jamin, Sunny, and Blaze, to name a few. Okay, we had a few feral cats, too. They had names like Momma Cat. Honestly, they didn’t stick around long enough to get a name. But it was my city dog who became my favorite. He was the first dog my wife and I had after marriage. It was our practice, “kid.” We kept a plant alive, so we thought, ‘Let’s try something with legs.’
Hershey Kisses and Melted Hearts
Over her morning coffee, my wife watched her favorite news segment called Sammy Stars, the local adopt-a-pet feature. At 5 a.m., my wife fell in love with the puppy of her dreams. A few days passed, and I met the star himself, Hershey. This cute black collie mix instantly melted our hearts, but it was clear that he had baggage. Something was off at the dog park; he was way too cautious. All he really wanted to do was sit under our feet. This behavior made complete sense when his handler told us his story. As a puppy, little Hershey was abused and deserted in an abandoned building in downtown Saint Louis. For months, he was alone before someone finally found and rescued him. It was clear the trauma left a lasting scar on this dog’s life.
The agency did a home visit and background check, and they likely took DNA samples without our permission. Those places are crazy, right? Finally, we were able to take Hershey home. The first thing I did was change his name. Hershey became Padfoot, a name worthy of a fresh start — a dog, we thought, worthy of Sirius Black. (Honestly, how can you not know that Harry Potter reference? Ten points from your house!)
Padfoot / Pad / Paderkins grew up to be a great dog but never lost that nervous edge. We took great care of Pad-boy, but no matter how much we poured our love into him, we couldn’t remove his anxiety. I’m sure Pad didn’t remember his terrible past; he was a dog, for goodness sake, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t shaped by trauma. Pad needed what I couldn’t give him: a new story, a new beginning.
We are Rescue Dogs
You and I share some commonalities with Padfoot. We were all born into an abusive, broken world that left us slaves to sin. Corruption has shaped our core. Scripture says our fallen state defined our nature and character at conception. (Sorry, TMI) But, praise God that Jesus came into our world unmarred by sin and paid the ransom for our brokenness. We were Hershey, lost and alone, needing a good family and a new name. Through Christ, we were given both. Although I renamed Pad and gave him a good home, he still lived out the effects of his past. So, too, sin’s wounds may fade in this life, but they will never disappear.
Ephesians 4 says,
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
This passage reminds us that transformation is ongoing, not instant. It’s a daily journey, one that begins with confession. We must confess [put off] our troubled past while we seek to lead a new life in Christ. Consider this an invitation: would you join me in confessing your brokenness today with the prayer below?
Let’s start by confessing our sins. I invite you to use the prayer provided:
Gracious God, we confess that we are shaped by the brokenness of this world. The scars of sin have left us fearful, mistrustful, and anxious, and we often live out of these wounds instead of Your truth. We cling to old patterns, letting our past define us, and struggle to believe in the new life You offer. Forgive us for doubting Your power to make us whole. Forgive us for holding onto fear and mistrust instead of trusting in Your grace. Teach us to put off our old selves and to walk in the righteousness and holiness You call us to. Renew our hearts, Lord, and help us to live as Your redeemed children. May we fully embrace the name You’ve given us and find our home in Your love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
In silence, continue to confess your sins.
Jesus, You hear all our prayers and bring us forgiveness through Your death and resurrection. Lord, we rejoice in the new life You give us, breaking the power of sin and making us whole. We are grateful for Your word in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, which assures us of our renewal, saying, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
We praise you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; through faith in Christ, we are saved. Lord, encourage our assurance through our faithfulness to you. And thank you, God, for giving us the Lord’s Prayer, which teaches us how to pray, saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”
Thanks for praying; God Bless You! I hope you’ll read more next Saturday @ 10.
Pad was a beautiful dog.