Prayer of Confession, A3A

Call to Confession

Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you. (Isaiah 35:4-6) Let us confess our sin before God, and seek God's mercy.

Prayer of Confession, A3A

We claim to be your disciples,
to follow you,
to be your people,
yet with John we ask,
"Are you the One we've been expecting,
or are you still coming?"
We see your acts of mercy,
your extravagant grace.
Your miracles surround us,
yet we have to have them pointed out to us,
because we have closed our own eyes
to the truth of your presence among us.
Our ears are still closed to your Word,
our spirits still dead.
Forgive us, we pray.
Help us reevaluate our expectations.
Cleanse us from the sin that distorts our perceptions.
Stand us on our feet
and give voice to our experience
of your presence in our midst
that the world might know that you are the One
who has come
and is still coming,
who is present with us in Spirit
even as you have been present with us
as the God Incarnate,
Word-made-flesh.

Assurance of God's Grace

Through the prophet Isaiah, God said to God's people, "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." (Isaiah 42:6-7) In Christ, God has kept God's promise. In Jesus' name, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day.

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