HSM Confession
This last Sunday in HSM we were finishing our series called “Wipeout,” a series where we addressed the things that cause high schoolers to wipeout spiritually, emotionally, and physically. This past Sunday was centered on Addiction and what it means to be addicted to anything but God.
Part of the worship set that set up our HSM pastor Steve’s message was a confession, written by one of our HSM students. I felt like a service where we recognized our addictions to drugs/popularity/good grades/sex/appearance/etc needed a confession as part of our worship – something like a confession in a liturgical service.
But I didn’t want to simply read a confession that is normally used in more liturgical settings. Instead, I wanted the confession to come from one of our students so that HSM students could deeply connect with the ideas and imagery and vulnerability of one of their peers.
I asked Zach Roush if he would write it, and when he said yes, I sent him some examples of confessions that I found online – for him to use only as a springboard. I’ve known he is an incredible writer for a long time, and I wanted to see what he could come up with.
I’ve posted what he wrote below. To be honest, reading this confession as part of our HSM worship service was one of the deepest moments of worship I’ve had since returning to Cornerstone Fellowship six months ago.
Great work Zach…
My father,
You’re love, it burns
Casts out my ensuing darkness
You deliver me from the shadows that stalk me
The lion crouches at the door
You hold the key to that sunken wreck
A ship crushed in the waves of my disobedience
So unlock that trove
Take all that you find
My secret skeletons are there
In that hidden closet of mine
Bury them away, in a distant dimension
As far as heaven reaches
And as deep as hell falls
From now on, when thy Spirit teaches
Your child shall listen
Your sheep shall follow
