Prayers of Confession on Wealth
Adapted from Revelation 3:15-22
Pastor: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
All: For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Pastor: Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
All: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Submitted by Dustin Ray
O Giver of every good and perfect gift, we confess that we are poor stewards of your bounty. You give us time, but we waste it. You give us life, but we use it to glorify ourselves. You give us wealth, but we make it serve our own comfort and security. We miss out on the joy and affirmation that you give us when we are generous. Change our hearts O God, that they would reflect your goodness to us and the world. Forgive us now for all of our sins, as we continue to pray [in silence/in song]…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Let us pray.
Almighty, powerful, creator God
So often we think we know best.
We confess to you our sin alongside the sin of all humanity.
We have tried to master creation rather than care for it.
We have abused the sea, the land and the air.
We have polluted, we have taken more than we needed and we have not trusted in your abundant provision.
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
We confess to you our sin alongside the sin of all humanity.
As participants in one of the richest societies on earth
We have taken for granted technologies, luxury goods, and leisure.
We repent of the hunger, suffering, mistreatment and slavery
Which our wealth has created for others.
Free us and them.
Christ have mercy
Christ have mercy
We confess to you our sin alongside the sin of all humanity.
As we have known your creation more fully
We have found less need to know you.
We have thought that we will find the answers to all our questions by looking hard enough
In our amazement at the wonder of creation we have not stopped to be amazed by you.
Lord, have mercy
Lord have mercy
Jacob Traeger
Psalm 82 and James 1
Father God, too often we show preference to those who appear to have it all together, to those whom we consider complete: the self-motivated, self-made, and self-sufficient. We honor the rich and look past the poor. We invite those with prestige and power to sit in seats of privilege, while we leave the lowly and humble to stand outside and apart. We fashion a religion that is far from the purity that you desire when we defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked, when we pay respect for the outward appearance and refuse to see the inner heart of a person as you do. Forgive us, we pray, for our neglect, for our complicity, for our impurity of mind, heart, and religion. Conform us to your character. Amen.
Scott Bullock