Prayers of Confession on Grace
Adapted from Judges 2
Pastor: Oh God, you have been so gracious to us. You have given us so many wonderful gifts—they outnumber the starts in the sky! You have kept your promises to us, and you have been faithful!
All: But we, O God, have forgotten your grace and your faithfulness. The idols that we enjoy—self-righteousness, safety, prosperity—entice us and ensnare us. We think that we are our own god and king, but that’s who you are.
Pastor: We cry out for forgiveness to you, merciful Father! Only through Jesus’ death in our place do we have your forgiveness.
All: Continue to be faithful to your promise to love us, to walk with us, and to teach us. Strengthen us this week so that we may love, trust, and obey you, our gracious God.
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Adapted from Isaiah 35:1–10
God of majesty and glory,
we are thirsty for your grace.
You made a way for us in the wilderness,
and still, in our foolishness, we go astray.
We hide our eyes from your presence.
We do not listen to your word.
We are lifeless when we ought to dance
and speechless when we ought to sing.
Forgive us, O Lord.
Speak peace to our fearful hearts,
strengthen our weak hands,
and make firm our feeble knees
as we seek to follow in your holy way. Amen.
Adapted from Psalm 6 and “Morning Needs” in The Valley of Vision
Pastor: “O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
All: “My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.”
Pastor: Lord, I come to you for the grace another year will require for its duties and events. As I step out into a wicked world, I carry in me an evil heart. I know that without you I can do nothing, and I know that my heart is prone to evil and wickedness.
All: Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom and kindness toward my neighbors, to do good to all men, and to you be all the glory.
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times when we take advantage of your unfailing love. You forgive us day in and day out, you never fail us, and you’ll never leave us. As a result, we become complacent, too comfortable with our mediocrity. We fail to strive for the good plans you’ve laid out for our lives. Please forgive us for cheapening your grace. Renew our gratitude for the sacrifice you made for us as we silently confess our sins before you now…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Merciful Lord, You are holy, You are mighty, You are worthy of praise! Holy Father, You are majestic, You are powerful, You are awesome in every way! We have seen Your glory, And experienced Your joy. But often our hearts are fickle, and the awe and wonder of Your saving grace becomes common and mundane. In Your mercy, please forgive our sin; cleanse us from our unrighteousness and heal our wayward and feckless hearts. We find hope and comfort in Your promise to forgive. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
What can we say, O Lord, to justify ourselves? You shower us with grace upon grace. Your mercies are new every morning. And we find it hard to forgive others. Sometimes we are petty and hold grudges for years. Other times we are proud, waiting for the other person to admit guilt first. While other times we have experienced trauma and have no healed from it. Lord, free us today from the unforgiveness that shackles us as we confess our sins to you now.…
Time of silent reflection.
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Gracious God, we’ve gathered this morning seeking forgiveness for the sins we’ve committed in our lives and to hear Your words of pardon and grace. We’ve fallen short of Your expectations for us.
We have insisted on doing things our way instead of trusting You and following where You would lead us. Like the criminal on the cross, help us to recognize that even though we deserve to pay for our sins, it’s because of the sacrifice of Your Son that forgiveness can be ours. Grant us that forgiveness and create in us a new heart We ask these things in the Name of Your Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Loving God, you show us grace and mercy, again and again and again. You shower gifts on us that we could never earn, and you are slow to punish us when we most deserve it. All too often, we forget to give you thanks. We take your grace for granted, and we assume your mercy will always be there. Even worse, we are so slow to share your grace and mercy with others, out of gratitude for what you have done for us in Jesus Christ. Forgive us for these and all our sins, as we continue to pray in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
O God who will not let us go, we confess that we have been so wrapped up in ourselves that have not loved You with our whole hearts, and we have not loved our neighbors as we love ourselves. By Your grace and through Your transforming love, open our hearts wide to You; forgive what we have been, help us change what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways, to the glory of your holy Name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Your grace, O God, has appeared for the salvation of all, calling us to renounce false gods and irresponsible love. In the midst of our sin, Christ has appeared as a sign of our hope, redeeming us and calling us to be a people eager to do your will. Make us zealous for good deeds in response to your wonderful deed in Jesus Christ. We confess the vain worship of ourselves and our neglect of your
James G. Kirk. When We Gather, Revised Edition: A Book of Prayers for Worship.
Father, thank You that we have been declared righteous through faith in Christ. Because of the completed work of Jesus, we have peace with You and access to Your amazing grace. Yet, in spite of this, we take our eyes off of You. At times, we are prone to despair. Forgive us, Lord. Help us to remember that Jesus is our strength. Help us to mature and rejoice in Him even in our trials and tribulations. Give us grace that will produce a patient and godly character that is honoring to You. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Merciful Lord, You are holy, You are mighty, You are worthy of praise! Holy Father, You are majestic, You are powerful, You are awesome in every way! We have seen Your glory, And experienced Your joy. But often our hearts are fickle, and the awe and wonder of Your saving grace becomes common and mundane. In Your mercy, please forgive our sin; cleanse us from our unrighteousness and heal our wayward and feckless hearts. We find hope and comfort in Your promise to forgive. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
God of lasting forgiveness, You are not surprised to find us standing before Your throne once again, asking for Your forgiveness. It’s true, Father: we have sinned again. In our thinking, in our doing, in our negligence, and in our self-righteousness, we ask once more for Your forgiveness. O God, we harbor an unfounded fear that one day Your grace will run out; that Your forgiveness will be exhausted. But each time we come before You, You once more welcome us with open arms. Thank You for a forgiveness that has not failed and will never fail. In the Name of Jesus Christ, who has forgiven all, we pray, Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Holy Spirit, you have come to reconcile us to each other, but we resist your work to bind us together. We hold onto grudges. Even though we know God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ, we are slow to forgive each other. We have received grace, but we struggle to share it with others. Change our hearts, O Spirit, and grant us Christ’s willingness to forgive. Forgive us for these and all our sins, as we continue to pray in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Loving father, there are times when it feels like we never get it right. We compare ourselves to others and we don’t measure up. It seems like we can never get our act together and live up to the standard of your perfection. Please forgive us, but please also help us to rest in your grace. Please show us your immense love as we silently confess our sins to you now…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Gracious God, you forgive us whenever we ask, and so we ask you now to forgive all of our sins.
We need your grace again, for we often return to the same sins, over and over again.
Your Spirit longs to make us more and more like Jesus,
Yet we resist, holding on to our old patterns of living as long as we can.
We presume upon your grace, counting on your forgiveness.
Give us, O God, the kind of faith which changes us more and more each day into Christ’s likeness,
And forgive us again when we seem to be moving in the wrong direction.
Pardon us for these and all of our sins, as we continue to pray in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
We confess, Gracious God, that we are a forgiven people who still need forgiveness. As Christians, it is easy to take this forgiveness for granted, and leave our lives unchanged. It is tempting to sin boldly in the false assurance that all is pardoned automatically. Remind us again of the good news that your son Jesus Christ took our sin seriously enough to die on the cross. Forgive us for presuming upon your grace, and for committing all our sins, as we continue to confess in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Loving and gracious God, we know we do not always live the life to which we are called: We turn away from You, and from our true selves. You command us to shine Your light, but we often hide it instead. We are prideful and self-righteous, and desire control instead of trusting You to guide our steps. We know that You love us, that You do not abandon us, and that You pursue us even when we turn away from You. Thank You for loving us unconditionally, Forgive us, we pray, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
The grace of God overflows for us through Christ Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners. We therefore, confess, holy and merciful God, our failure to be what you created us to be. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. By your loving mercy, help us to live in your light, and abide in your ways as we silently confess our sins to you…
Austin D. Hill
Eternal and Glorious God, Your grace calls us toward growth and service in You. Yet today we acknowledge the many times we have forgotten Your mercy and rejected Your love. Forgive us when we sin against You Through our thoughts, words, and deeds. Forgive us when we neglect to think, speak, and do as You desire. Renew and restore us, O God. Help us to run the race You put before us with perseverance, patience, and passion. In His name we pray. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
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