This is the third Sunday in Advent. The pink candle has been lit. Unlike the color purple in our first two candles, which indicate penitence and the royal color to welcome the Advent of the King, the pink candle indicates a nearness to Christmas. It signifies joy. It does not eliminate the need for a deeper meditation on sin, repentance, and preparation, but it does signal that the coming of the King is near.
As we prepare our hearts for the season of joy that awaits us, we need to be reminded that confession comes before joy. We may be tempted to read through our confession this morning and overlook that we have sinned and fallen short this week. Listen to the first line: “Your face is hidden from us because of our sins.” What a dreadful thought! This is a reality that we need to meditate upon as we confess our sins corporately each Lord’s Day: that in our sins we are declaring that we no longer need the face of God. If our call is to be in the presence and face of God, Coram Deo, then in our sin we are running from His presence and His face. Let us come and confess our sins and pray that we would always turn to God in our sins that His face may shine upon us and that we might anticipate with even greater joy the coming of Messiah Jesus, the Savior of the World.
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