Lord, to You I Make Confession

It has been said that the Law afflicts the comfortable and the Gospel comforts the afflicted.  Afflicted by the harsh realities of the Law as they confronted him in the pig pen, the wildly wasteful son finally came to his senses. In the confession that the young son planned to offer his father as he returned to his father's house, he recognized that his sin had a vertical dimension (he had sinned against God) as well as a horizontal dimension (he had sinned against his father):  "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you."  (Luke 15:21)  Yet is was the character of his father that brought that tiny glimmer of hope into the heart of the prodigal son that perhaps his father would take him back, not as a son, but as a servant. The father's lavish love restored his sonship and celebrated the return of his son.  So too in our lives, when we approach God in repentance, after the Law has jolted us out of our sin and made us uncomfortable, we find a forgiving Father whose Son has taken our sins to Calvary and paid for our waywardness in full.


This text in Lutheran Service Book is  LSB 608 and was written by Johann Franck, 1618-77 and translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78.  The tune by Johann Crueger, 1598-1662, is HERR, ICH HABE MISSGEHANDELT.

Lord, to You I make confession:

    I have sinned and gone astray,

I have multiplied transgression,

    Chosen for myself my way.

Led by You to see my errors,

Lord, I tremble at Your terrors.

Yet, though conscience’ voice appall me,

    Father, I will seek Your face;

Though Your child I dare not call me,

    Yet receive me in Your grace.

Do not for my sins forsake me;

Let Your wrath not overtake me.

For Your Son has suffered for me,

    Giv’n Himself to rescue me,

Died to save me and restore me,

    Reconciled and set me free.

Jesus’ cross alone can vanquish

These dark fears and soothe this anguish.

Lord, on You I cast my burden—

    Sink it to the depths below.

Let me know Your gracious pardon,

    Wash me, make me white as snow.           

Let Your Spirit leave me never;

Make me only Yours forever.

As Rebels, Lord, Who Foolishly Have Wandered

Lectionary Series C had "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" as the Gospel lesson for the Fourth Sunday in Lent.  One of my favorite parables, we sang "As Rebels, Lord" as our sermon hymn at St. John-Amelith.


1.  As rebels, Lord, who foolishly have wandered
        Far from Your love--unfed, unclean, unclothed---
     Dare we recall Your wealth so rashly squandered,
        Dare hope to glean that bounty which we loathed?


2.  Still we return, our contrite words rehearsing,
        Speech, that within Your warm embrace soon dies;
     All of our guilt, our shame, our pain reversing
        As tears of joy and welcome fill Your eyes.


3.  A feast of love for us You are preparing;
        We who were lost, You give an honored place!
     "Come eat; come drink, and be no more despairing--
        Here taste again the treasures of My grace."   

Rebuke Me Not, O Lord, in Wrath

This versification of Psalm 6 was written in 1998 to the tune CHRISTIAN LOVE.  Another suggested tune is CONSOLATION.

1.  Rebuke me not, O Lord, in wrath,

         Nor judge me for my sin,

     But lead me on Your righteous path

         And cleanse my life within.

2. Have pity, hear my weakened sighs

        And heal all that is wrong;

    With anguished fright my spirit cries:

       “How long, O Lord, how long?”

                                               

3. Deliver me from sin and shame,

        Lord, turn to me and save—

    For who in death recalls Your name?

        Who thanks You from the grave?

4.  My eyes are worn away with grief,

         My bed is drenched with tears;

     From all my foes, Lord, grant relief

         And save me from my fears.

5.  You workers of iniquity

         Who fill my heart with care:

     In God’s strong name depart from me—

         The Lord has heard my prayer!

From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee

Martin Luther's (1483-1546) setting of Psalm 130 in Lutheran Service Book  (LSB 607) is a slightly altered version of the translation by Catherine Winkworth (1827-78).

From depths of woe I cry to Thee,       Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;

    In trial and tribulation;                  Lord, hear my voice!

Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,      Let Your ears be attentive

    Lord, hear my supplication.            To the voice of my supplications.

If Thou rememb’rest ev’ry sin,            If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

Who then could heaven ever win          O LORD, who could stand?

    Or stand before Thy presence?

Thy love and grace alone avail             But there is forgiveness with You,

    To blot out my transgression;          That You may be feared.

The best and holiest deeds must fail

    To break sin’s dread oppression.

Before Thee none can boasting stand,

But all must fear Thy strict demand

    And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my hope is in the Lord          I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

    And not in mine own merit;             And in His word I do hope.

It rests upon His faithful Word

    To them of contrite spirit

That He is merciful and just;

This is my comfort and my trust.

    His help I wait with patience.

And though it tarry through the night     My soul waits for the LORD

    And till the morning waken,              More than those who watch for the morning--

My heart shall never doubt His might      Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

    Nor count itself forsaken.

O Israel, trust in God your Lord.            O Israel, hope in the LORD;

Born of the Spirit and the Word,

    Now wait for His appearing.

Though great our sins, yet greater still   For with the LORD there is mercy,

    Is God’s abundant favor;                  And with Him is abundant redemption.

His hand of mercy never will    

    Abandon us, nor waver.

Our Shepherd good and true is He,

Who will at last His Israel free               And He shall redeem Israel

    From all their sin and sorrow.           From all his iniquities.    (NKJV)

With Longing Heart the Father Waits

Recently I received a newly-published book of hymn texts, "My Light and My Salvation" by Canadian Lutheran pastor, Kurt E. Reinhardt (currently serving at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kurtzville, Ontario.)  "With Longing Heart the Father Waits" is one of the many fine hymn texts contained in Pastor Reinhardt's new book.  I am thoroughly enjoying working my way through this 68-page volume of his hymn texts and poems.  (Pastor Reinhardt's hymn "Baptismal Waters Cover Me" is found in Lutheran Service Book, #616.)  This new book of hymns was published in 2008 by Redeemer Press of Fort Wayne, Indiana and its ISBN is 978-1-934328-02-6. 

Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son could be called the Parable of the Prodigal Father.  The word "prodigal" means "extremely wasteful."  A casual reader of this parable could argue that the father was far too generous with his love for his rebellious son.  Yet all sinners know such a Father's generous love.   Jesus' parable indeed gives us a glimpse into the heart of our heavenly Father, whose great mercy and grace can never be fully sounded--they are too deep! In His great love, the Father clothes His own dear Son in our filth and shame in order to pave our way back to His estate.  Not only that, for undeserving and rebel sons and daughters, He assures us again and again of His love and forgiveness in His holy Supper. Prodigal love indeed, for all our times of casting His precious pearls before the swine of our own sinful desires.  

1.  With longing heart the father waits,

     Like a watchman at his gates,

         His gaze fixed on the homeward way

         In hope his child might come today.

2.  From far away the father knows

     His son in filthy tattered clothes,

          Whose once familiar face and name

          Lie buried deep beneath his shame.

3.  From far away the father knows

     His son, who in greed's fever chose

          To fill his soul with poisoned wine

          And cast his pearls amongst the swine.

4.  From far away the father knows

     The son who caused him many woes;

          Yet love with arms outstretching wide

          In heedless joy runs to his side.

5.  With longing heart our Father waits

     For His lost children at His gates;

          A ring, a cloak, and shoes lie near

          While Love's own feast awaits them here.