Prayers of Confession on Guilt
Adapted from Ezra 9:6-15
Pastor: O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.
All: From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt.
Pastor: But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. For we are slaves.
All: Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery but has extended to us his steadfast love.
Pastor: And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, which you commanded by your servants the prophets. And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break your commandments again?
All: O LORD, the God of Israel, you are just. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Adapted from Jeremiah 3:12-13, 23
Pastor: “Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever.
All: Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the LORD your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Pastor: Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.”
All: “Behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our God.”
Submitted by Dustin Ray
No Record of Wrongs, an opening prayer
Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:5 NRSV
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
We keep to-do lists so we don’t forget
We check them twice
We carry them in our pockets
Holding on to the pain
The disappointment
The failure
Re-viewing the wrong
Point by point by point
Plotting revenge on ourselves and others
We carry them
They keep us cross
Wounded and bleeding
Divided and dying
You take our lists
Crossing out
Crossing off
Nailing them to your tree
Burying them in a blaze of love
So we may rise free
You keep no record of wrong
Instead, you write our names on your palm
A life list on your lifeline
A love list by your scar
Hallelujah
Time of silent prayer
No Record of Wrongs © 2014 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Isaiah 51:17-20
Awake, Awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem,
You who have drunk from the hand of the Lord,
The cup of his wrath,
You who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes men stagger.
Of all the sons she bore there was none to guide her;
Of all the sons she reared there was none to take her by the hand.
These double calamities have come upon you,
Who can comfort you?
Ruin and destruction, famine and sword,
Who can console you?
Lord, like the people of Judah, we are a sinful people.
Father, we confess our sins and plead guilty as charged.
Hear our prayers and forgive us.
Amen.
Submitted by Bud Thoreen