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I used to really dislike the idea of confessing sin. It felt like punishment for the wrong I’d done – some form of religious payment. I think that confession is often regarded as a heavy burden, a duty we approach reluctantly, fearing the exposure of our failings.

There are moments in life when the soul is so overwhelmed by the storms of trouble that it longs to escape, to flee from the tumult and find rest in solitude. David, the psalmist of Israel, gives voice to this longing in Psalm 55:6-8: “Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” How often have we echoed this sentiment when faced with trials too great for our strength? But running away from our troubles necessarily means we’ve moved ourselves off course.

Tucked away at the end of the “love chapter,” in a single verse, the Apostle Paul sets before us the triad of Christian virtues: faith, hope, and love. These three are the pillars upon which the Christian life is built, the evidence of grace at work in the soul, and the marks of those who walk with God. Today, I wish to show you how these three virtues are interwoven, each building upon the other, culminating in the highest virtue of love.

Around Grace, we frequently talk about being outward focused followers of Jesus. Being outward focused can look a lot of different ways for each of us, but it’s always good to keep in mind that, at the highest level, our driving goal is to be outward reflectors of the heart of God and His presence in us to the world around us.

A study exercise I really enjoy is pulling on threads in the Bible and following them from start to finish to get the full Biblical picture. This morning, I was reading Jeremiah and ran into 2:22: “For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is stained before Me, says the Lord God.”