Prayers of Confession on Being Lost
(Prayer of Adoration)
Good morning, Father. While we slept last night – You were awake, sustaining our world, protecting us and readying a new day.
Jesus – You hold us in the palms of Your hands: strong hands, compassionate hands, firm hands, healing hands, hands that heal, hands that are nail-scarred still, now and forever, such is the duration of Your love.
And Spirit – our Comforter, generous and powerful: You gift and equip us with all things necessary to live today for Your glory [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] and to our joy.
We praise You for who You are; we thank You for all Your good gifts to us … and we look forward to when You’ll return to clean up the mess and take us home.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet, if we’re honest, we don’t live anticipating Your Advent arrival with joy and gratitude. We’ve got too many things we want to experience. We subtly say, “Lord – not yet; not until I get what I want, or do what I want.” We live unprepared for Your coming. We care more for ourselves than for others. Our eyes are closed to another’s pain and our hearts break over the wrong things – a lost football game rather than a lost soul, a lost child or a lost city.
God of our hearts, we come to You admitting that we are lost. In our lives of chaos, we have lost our peace. In our selfishness, we have lost our ability to care for others. In our self-reliance, we have lost our total dependence on You. We ask for Your forgiveness and mercy for our wandering hearts. Remind us that it is by Your grace we are found. In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we are lost, and when we do not seek those who are. Forgive us when we harden our hearts and do not understand the magnitude of your love. Lead us with your Holy Spirit to receive your grace and offer it to others. We pray these things in the name of the one you sent to reclaim us, Christ Jesus. Hear our prayers as we continue our confession in silence…
Submitted by Allen Thompson
God of mercy, You sent Jesus Christ to search for and save the lost. We confess that we, too, have wandered away from You. We are taken off path by pride and selfishness. We have failed to love the way You have loved us. We have ignored Your truth and teachings. Oh God, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sinful ways and turn us towards Your path of righteousness through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Almighty and merciful God, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare those who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to the world in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful God, for his sake, that we may live a holy, just, and humble life for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
We pray to You our Lord, our Savior, our Merciful God, that all our sins may be forgiven. Our sins are like a straight jacket, binding us, and keeping us from relationship with You. Although we know we cannot free ourselves from our sins through our own strength, we still try. We’ve been lost. Haunted by our own materialistic wants and allured by the world’s definition of success, we’ve shunned You from our lives in hopes of finding happiness. Yet You wait for us with wide open arms. Free us from our worldly wants and sins. Wash us in Your power. We call upon Your grace, love, and mercy as we confess our sins and ask for your forgiveness. Help us to live in a way that brings You glory and honor, and use us to further Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
(Prayer of Adoration)
Lord – Creator, Savior and Sustainer:
You called our names and we answered.
When we were lost – You found us.
When we were sick – You healed us.
When we were blind – You opened our eyes.
When we were dead in our sin – You died to give us life.
That’s why we are here; that’s why we praise You.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet too often we overlook all that you’ve done for us.
We become self-consumed,
loving ourselves too much,
others too little and You hardly at all.
In Your grace and compassion:
hear the silent confession of our own sins,
and forgive us, we pray. (silence)
Gracious God – our Father:
Sufficient and sovereign, yet, compassionate and kind;
You tell us the truth while the world lies to us;
You give us light and hope,
while all around us cast darkness and despair.
When we mess up our lives – you give us a new one.
When we lose our way – You find us and guide us home.
When we are cast out – You call us by name and take us in.
It’s no wonder we praise You.
It’s no wonder we love You.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet sometimes we seek to steal Your glory,
to love ourselves and ignore You.
Forgive us – and in the quiet hear our heart’s confession
Of how we hurt others and dishonor You. (silence … )
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