Confession Prayer Week of September 22, 2024
Call to Confession:
As we enter into a time of confession together, let’s prepare our hearts by hearing these words from Matthew 28:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Prayer of Confession:
God of our salvation,
What could we ever give to you in return for your greatest gift: your own dear Son? He is our peace and salvation, our Redeemer. When we cannot rise to him, he draws close and lifts us up to himself. This is good news, and yet we often live without the joy it holds.
We find great joy in your good gifts without lifting our hearts to worship you, the giver of all good things. Father, forgive us.
Grow our hearts to rest in your goodness, and set our hope and peace in the love of Christ. Help us to sing of your goodness with hearts that are undone by your love and kindness, may it be a joy to you and a balm to those around us. In Christ’s great name we pray, Amen.
Assurance of Pardon:
In the scriptures we find assurances of our forgiveness and encouragement in our walk. So hear these words from Ephesians 2 and rest in their truth for us…
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.