Prayers of Confession on Sacrifice
Adapted from Psalm 106
Pastor: “Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.”
All: You have blessed us and delivered us from trouble. You’ve been so kind to us, but we have forgotten your good works, your faithfulness, and your grace. We have been faithless.
Pastor: Because of the good work that Jesus Christ did in his life, and because of his death on the cross in our place, you have forgiven those of us who have trusted you. Forgive us for the sins that we continue to commit and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
All: Look upon our distress and remember your covenant with Jesus Christ. “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Holy God, you have shown us the ultimate example of sacrificial love in Jesus. For Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Yet we think of ourselves more highly than we ought. We don’t feel the need to serve in the way that Jesus did. We consider ourselves to be above Jesus. Please give us a proper sense of humility as we confess our sins to you in silence…
Time of silent reflection and confession..
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Adapted from “Spiritual Helps” in The Valley of Vision
Pastor: Eternal Father, it is amazing love, that you sent your Son to suffer in my place, that you have given me your Holy Spirit to teach, comfort, and guide me. Because of Jesus’ death in my place, you have forgiven me, a wretched sinner.
All: May my hard heart experience your pity, not your wrath. Although I am prone to evil, dead to goodness, and resist the prompting of your Spirit, do not abandon me. Continue to be gracious!
Pastor: Keep me feeding in the pastures of your delightful Word, rejoicing in Scripture because there you are found. Let all your fatherly dealings with me make me a partaker of your holiness.
All: Grant that in every fall I may sink lower on my knees, and that when I rise it may be to loftier heights of devotion.
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Jesus, though you were in very nature God, you did not consider equality with God as something to be used to your own advantage. Rather, you humbled yourself, you made yourself nothing. Lord, you are the ultimate example for us, but we ignore it. We seek our own bet interests and puff ourselves up with pride. Please humble us as we silently confess our sins to you now…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to die for us so that we might have a relationship with You. Yet we often forget the sacrifice You made for us. We forget how important it is to pursue knowing You. We don’t cherish the gift You have given us. Please forgive for ignoring You and for the sins we now silently confess…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Gracious God, we fail to give to others, when you have so generously given to us. We look for our maximum benefit and minimum sacrifice. We have forgotten where every good gift comes from – you. Holy Spirit, shape our hearts to have a posture of gratitude and open our hands to give, that others might see you generous grace and love.
Submitted by Laura Murray
Lord Jesus Christ, you gave up everything to come down from heaven in order to love and serve us. Unlike you, we find self-sacrifice hard. Most of us look for ways to puff ourselves up, so that we look better in other people’s eyes. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can make ourselves look good in your eyes, too. Send us your Spirit, that we would be more humble. We long to be like you, our loving shepherd, and we thank you for hearing our prayers as we continue to confess in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Holy God, we have deceived ourselves into believing our sins aren’t that bad, that Your grace isn’t enough, and that we can earn Your forgiveness. We have embraced the stable misery of sin- fractured relationships rather than seeking true reconciliation through Your grace and mercy. We have lived as people pacified by our possessions and dulled by our duties, rather than being jolted by Your Spirit to live as Christ out in the world. We speak of sacrifice flippantly, we refuse to step outside of our comfort zones, and we don’t want to do what it really takes to take up Your cross and follow You. Change us from the inside out, so that we can be one of Your sent ones in the world. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
Gracious God, you shower us with so many blessings, yet we struggle to share them with others. You love a cheerful giver, but we sometimes give grudgingly. We forget that all we have is yours, and that you can use our gifts to bless the whole world. Give us generous hearts which long to share our bounty, giving extravagantly, loving at great risk, and working for justice in seemingly impossible situations. Forgive us for clutching too tightly what has always been yours in the first place. Pardon us for this and all of our sins, as we continue to confess in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Holy God, Your love is amazing, steady, and unchanging. Your love is relentless, passionate, and astounding. We thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus which has redeemed us and restored us to a right relationship with You. We confess that we take this gift for granted; we fail to grasp the significance of the sacrifice; we continue to live as unredeemed people. Forgive us for our sinfulness. Cleanse us. Restore us. And ignite our hearts with a passion to live for You. We humbly ask, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church