Forgive Us Our Sins

"Take with you words and return to the Lord." Hosea 14:3

Sometimes all I do is talk, talk, talk to God, not allowing Him to say a word to me! What are the words that we should take to God? This passage from Hosea is always recited on the Sabbath preceding Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people.

The Jews usually observe this holy day with long fasting and prayer in the synagogue. It is a day of repentance, which consists of regretting the wrong done, resolving not to do it again and confessing the sin before God. According to the Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the guide for the Jews’ daily life, "Yom Kippur atones for sins done against God, but does not atone for sins done against other human beings until the other person has been appeased." It is customary that the Jews repair their relationships before Yom Kippur, which is described as "a day of creating love and brotherhood, a day of abandoning jealousy and strife". The Jews believe that if one does not remove hatred from their heart on or before the Day of Atonement, “their prayers are not heard".

How about us during this season of Lent? Should we not also repent of our wrong doing against God and our fellow human beings? Perhaps the words we are to say are, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." If we are sincere, I am sure His grace will allow us to enjoy His presence in His peace beyond understanding!