Yukine Learns to Confess
Confessing our sins releases us from guilt and grief
Happy Friday, my fellow anime lovers!
How have you all been? If you’re struggling, I want to offer you encouragement today that might help you on your path—something straight from scripture. Today, I want to share the importance of confession, both to God and to others. This one act can be scary and also uplifting. One anime in particular showcases this act in an intense scenario. But before I dive further, let’s read what the Bible says about confession:
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
~ James 5:16
Noragami is an anime series about Yato, a stray god looking for followers; the more he has, the more his luck increases and the more likely he will remain a god. The gods of this series are not omnipotent like the One, True God; they can die. Yato comes close to his own demise when he is betrayed by his partner, the regalia Yukine. When a regalia (a weapon for gods) sins, the god they serve bears the punishment in the form of a “blight” that can be lethal if it gets out of hand.
Yukine, who was once a living boy, is spiteful of his new role and acts out, committing many sinful actions, like stealing, lusting after women, and telling many lies. His initial tactic is to hide these sins, before then justifying his right to sin. But through patience, encouragement, and a painful purification process, Yukine recognizes his guilt and confesses all that he has done. In doing so, he frees himself of guilt and Yato from the blight he has developed.
Just like Yukine, when we sin, our instinct may be to hide, deny, or justify it. But when we confess our sin instead, it’s like a weight lifted off our chests. Like Yato, Jesus has already taken the punishment for our wrongdoing; our confessions reflect this understanding of his grace and free us from the weight of sin that we don’t need to live under, that Jesus has already defeated.
Like Yato, God is merciful and patient, waiting for us to come to him even though we’ve done him these wrongs. The difficulty of confession is followed by the joy of loving the one who loved us first. Confessing to our brothers or sisters in Christ also, as James writes, can lead to prayers, which can be powerful. Sharing our sins can help us find healing from them and allow us to grow closer to God and to others.
Weekly Mission: If you are not in a small group or community of Christ-like people you trust, find that community. If you already are, think of something weighing you down and ask your friends to pray with you. Confessing to God can bring great things, such as peace and forgiveness, while confessing alongside brothers and sisters in Christ helps keep us accountable.
Memory Verse: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~ 1 John 1:9 (ESV)
BtT in Review
Join us for the Beneath the Tangles Family Feud, a community event that everyone is invited to! It’ll take place next month on our Discord server.
Whit drew this lovely illustration of Marin (My Dress-Up Darling) in a yukata on our stream this week. Come follow us on Twitch for more awesome art and laid-back chats!
Have you ever read a “dark sci-fi superhero film inspired by Chinese opera”? Here’s your chance. That’s how Claire describes the “mind-bending” opening volume of Yan in her review of the manga.
If you didn’t catch Claire’s analysis of this screenshot from Ruri Rocks here on Substack earlier this week, we encourage you to read the article now. It’s a rumination on how the detours are something truly the way that leads to the Way.
Looking for new manga to read? We’ve covered a wide slate of series on Reader’s Corner this week, from a new zombie magical girl title to old school boxing series, and from an Oshi no Ko light novel to the newest Solo Leveling release. Check it out!
We love our fan art! Last Friday, we posted really cool illustration of Luffy from One Piece and Clare from Claymore!
God bless, and have a wonderful weekend, all! See you next week!