When we are dealing with our sin, there is no sense in trying to minimize or euphemize it before the eyes of God... To use euphemisms [means to refer to our sins using nice words] when in fact, our sins deserve to be called what they really are. We all have this tendency to minimize, right?... And here is Ezra, who is actually not even specifically guilty and yet, in humility and with a sense of shame and guilt, he fully and completely owns up to the specifics of the violations of God's Holy Word. Do you know that that is one of the sure signs of true repentance? If I am trying to minimize it, dodge it, redirect or try to shift blame, try to call it something a little nicer than what it really is, then I am not owning it fully and completely. Real repentance actually says, this is what I have done, this is what we have done, these were the violations of your Holy Word, and we have sinned against grace upon grace upon grace. Every breath that I take is an act of divine grace. Every sin I have been forgiven of has been an act of divine grace. Every kindness that has ever been given to me by my heavenly Father is an act of divine grace. Every blessing that I have ever experienced is nothing but grace. And yet, how many times have I taken those blessings and used those very blessings that have been given to me by God to turn around and pursue my own pleasure with? God says, own it, confess it, and repent of it.1
Brian Borgman
13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,