Prayer of Confession, OT 32A

Call to Confession

God has covenanted to be our God and has commanded that we walk in God's ways, keeping God's statutes, following God's ordinances and obeying the God of our ancestors. Yet we have turned away, forsaking the One who has claimed us and called us, and turning to our own devices. Let us confess our sin before God and seek God's forgiveness.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God,
we are a unfaithful people.
We accept
and even participate in
societal norms that place secular activity
and business transactions
ahead of opportunities for worship,
while we remain stiff-necked
about where and when and how worship
should be conducted.
Our checkbooks betray our priorities,
with more of our resources being devoted
to things that neither support nor sustain our lives
and less being offered to you.
We demand that our rights be valued
over the lives of human beings
giving our rights
more importance than life itself.
It is always about us,
though we justify our actions
with pious tones and selected Scriptures
taken out of context.
Forgive our lack of faithfulness,
we pray,
and turn our hearts to you
for a re-ordering of our priorities
and a renewed sense of belonging
that redirects our devotion to you who are faithful
always.

Assurance of God's Grace

The Lord our God has heard the words which we have spoken, and in unfailing faithfulness, has restored us to relationship through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Friend. People of God, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! Let us live as forgiven people.

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you.
Please actively reorder your lives for the work of peace in the world this day and every day, extending the peace of Christ not just to the neighbor on the street, but also to stranger across the country and on the other side of the world ....