God, in the righteousness of Jesus, we discover the depth our unrighteousness.
In the wholeness of Jesus, we discover the extent of our brokenness.
In Jesus’ oneness with you, we discover the great chasm of our alienation from you.
I mean: we’ve fit you in to our lives, but we haven’t loved you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We’ve tolerated our neighbours, but we haven’t loved them as ourselves. We pray, but usually it’s for our own will to be done, not yours on earth as it is in heaven.
Oh, God: we’ve judged specks in the eyes of those around us, specks we could barely see through the plank in our own eye.
We’ve stored up earthly treasures, all the while knowing you’ve offered us heavenly treasure—see: we were hoping we could get both.
We’ve looked at people made in your image, as though they were things.
We’ve sworn “yes” when we really meant “no” and said “no” when we really meant “yes”;
We’ve used words to hurt and tear down and kill instead of to bless and give life and create.
We’ve done these things, and more.
[pause]
We’re sorry God.
We want things to be different.
We want Jesus’ righteousness, Jesus wholeness, Jesus oneness with you to define us, and to define our life with you.
And so we come to you today praying this ancient prayer from the ancient book you gave us, because we know that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, quick to forgive and infinite in steadfast love. Jesus proved it to us:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
[Time for quiet confession]
Friends and followers of Jesus, hear his good news:
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
Receive the grace of God: In Jesus Christ we are new creation.
We are forgiven.
Lenten Prayer
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