## 103:12
> As Far as East From West
>> As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Occasion: Confessing hidden wrongdoing

Lord, the door is shut,
the screen is dark,
no one in this room knows what I did.
But I know.
And so do You.

I have tried not to name it.
I have offered myself excuses
and called my silence caution.
Still, the truth remains,
and I am tired of carrying it alone.

Bring the hard words to my tongue.
Make me transparent.

I am afraid of what honesty may cost,
of the hurt in another’s face,
of what cannot be taken back.
I want mercy without risk,
forgiveness without confession,
a clean heart without the difficult telling.

Secrecy is asking me to keep building walls around one act,
then another around the lie that guards it,
until I cannot tell which room I live in.

Lead me to the honest step ---
the truth spoken,
the thing returned,
the message sent,
the door knocked on.

Give me courage for that step,
and humility for whatever follows.
I have kept it hidden from others.
I cannot hide it from You.

Amen.