Prayers of Confession on Growth
Genesis 12:1–9 & Matthew 9:9–13
God of calling, you called Abraham and Matthew and gave them the strength they needed to follow you. You also called a people and cared for and nurtured that people so that they could live life in your abundance. You also call us, but sometimes we prefer to close our eyes and cover our ears, turning our backs to your will. Forgive us, O God, and grant us the confidence and the hope that we need to follow when you call. Amen.
Kimberly Bracken Long Ed., Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
Lord, forgive us for the times when we have chosen safety and comfort over fidelity to you. For the times when following you requires us to stretch, grow, and be challenged, give us courage. Renew our trust in you as we silently confess our sins to you now…
Submitted by 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
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
Loving God, you love us so much that you invite us to a life of transformation. You call us to live outside ourselves, and to follow you more faithfully with each day that passes. We confess to you that we often fail to grow closer to you, and to grow together as a church. Please help us to humble ourselves to the point where we are willing to be transformed for you. Please renew our desire to faithfully follow you as we silently confess our sins to you now.…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Gracious God, when I think of how you created all things in a step-by-step manner, I am reminded of my own impatience. There are so many times, Lord, when I want you to move at my pace, not yours. I confess that this is not only sinful but also silly. Do I really think my timing is better than yours? No, not when I step back and reflect. But in the rush of the moment, I can be painfully impatient. Forgive me, Lord.
Help me to trust that your ways are always the best, that your timing is always the best. Help me to see more clearly how you are at work in my life and through me in the lives of others. May I learn to be in synch with you and your ways, patient in my trust, expectant in my hope. Amen.
Gracious God, forgive us today for the times when we don’t trust You to help us grow. Even though You nurture us daily, we often choose to live in our own strength, ignoring the plans You have for us. Help us to place our trust in You as you we silently confess our sins to You now…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill