Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

Ezra chapter 9, verses 3 through 6.

And just to set up the context right before this,

Ezra hears about faithlessness among God's people,

sin that needs to be confessed among God's people.

And verse 3 says, as soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair

from my head and beard and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the faithlessness of the

returned exiles gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

And at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my fasting with my garment and my cloak torn and fell

upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God, saying,

Oh my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen

higher than our heads and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.

What a picture of humble confession and repentance of sin among God's people,

starting with the leader here, with Ezra, hearing this, hearing about the faithlessness

of God's people, even beyond just his own life. And yet he

falls on his face. He's fasting and weeping before God. His hands spread out to God saying,

God, I'm ashamed and blush to lift my face to you because our iniquities, see how he

identifies himself with the sin of God's people and says, we have sinned against you.

Our iniquaries have risen higher than our heads. Our guilt is mounted up to the heavens.

And it just pours out this prayer of confession and repentance.

And the process leads God's people to do the same.

And I read this and I just think about our gatherings today as God's people.

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