Confession Prayer Week of August 11, 2024

Call to Confession: 

As we enter into a time of confession together, let’s prepare our hearts by hearing these words from Philippians 2:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Prayer of Confession: 

Loving Heavenly Father,

Forgive us this week for the ways we are boastful, prideful, and self-seeking. Instead of seeking your kingdom, we often seek to lift up our own. Lord, forgive us. We believe your ways are wiser than our ways, and while we don’t like humbling ourselves, we know you are calling us to do that.

Lord, help us to be more like you. Help us to have a servant’s heart. Remind us of your patience and your love and your teaching. As we take that in, help us turn to you in wonder and awe, putting ourselves in a right place before you. Thank you for Jesus teaching us the way, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: 

In the scriptures we find assurances of our forgiveness and encouragement in our walk. So hear these words again from Philippians 2 and rest in their truth for us…

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.