Rescue us from the chaos of sin

The choices we make in life can have unexpected consequences further on down the line. And the wrong choices, the sinful choices, we make often descend quickly into complete chaos. One sinful decision can set off a chain reaction of seemingly unconnected series of events that have consequences far beyond ourselves.

A major part of the rescue plan is already available to us, if only we will take it. Confession and absolution. By “confession” I don’t necessarily mean individual confession to a priest, though that may well be something you find helpful — in that I particularly like the Anglican way: “All may; none must; some should”. The important thing about real confession, whether it be through a priest or directly to God, is that we take responsibility for what we’ve done wrong.

But the best part of the “confession and absolution” equation is the second part, “absolution”. True confession always leads to true absolution. In fact, the absolution is there before the confession, we just don’t truly know our need of it until we have truly confessed, acknowledged and taken responsibility for our sins. We cannot be absolved from something we don’t know exists. But, because of God’s great love for us, he never withholds the absolution from us.

Just because absolution is always given when we truly confess our sins, it doesn’t give us license to go off and deliberately do something wrong, knowing that God will forgive us. True love just doesn’t work that way.

Being rescued from the chaos of sin will restore some order into our lives. And that’s what we should all be aiming to do in this penitential season of Lent.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.

Holy God,
our lives are laid open before you:
rescue us from the chaos of sin
and through the death of your Son
bring us healing and make us whole
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for Ash Wednesday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council