The Days of Awe Part 6

Today, we will look at a prayer that is read on Yom Kippur. It is very important to remember that although the prayers are read, they are read with Kavannah. Kavannah means to act and to live with focus and consciousness. Instead of going through your life on "automatic pilot," you live with awareness and intentional choice. Kavannah reminds you that to remember to Whom you are speaking. The following prayer is called, "We Have Trespassed" and is prayed while striking the left side of the chest with right fist while reciting each sin:

We have trespassed;
We have dealt treacherously;

We have robbed;
We have spoken slander;

We have acted perversely;
We have done wrong;

We have acted presumptuously;
We have done violence;

We have practiced deceit;
We have counseled evil;

We have spoken falsehood;
We have scoffed;

We have revolted;
We have blasphemed;

We have rebelled;
We have committed iniquity;

We have transgressed;
We have oppresssed;

We have been stiff-necked;
We have acted wickedly;

We have dealt corruptly;
We have committed abomination;

We have gone astray;
We have led others astray.

We have turned away from Your Mitzvot (commandments) and from Your good laws, and we are poorer for our disobedience. You are just in all that has come upon us. You have been faithful; yet, we have done evil. What can we say to You, ADONAI of the universe? You know the mysteries of the universe as well as the secrets of every mortal. You search the deepest recesses of the human soul, and probe all our thoughts and motives. Nothing escapes You, nothing is concealed from You.

Therefore, may it be Your will, ADONAI, our Elohim and Elohim of our fathers, to forgive all our sins, to pardon all our iniquities, and to grant us atonement for all our transgressions.

Do not think that you can escape the temporal consequence of your sins by hiding behind the sacrifice of Yeshua. The sacrifice of Yeshua merits you eternal life, but the issue here is different. Here, we are dealing with the consequences of your sins now, in this life. Too often, modern day Christians rely on the sacrifice of Yeshua as "fire insurance" in the next life and forget that we still have to live this life out first. We, as followers of Yeshua, need to live a life of repentance. It was His primary message: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Elohim is at hand!" Today's prayer will keep us ever mindful of our need to repent and be honest before ADONAI.