Prayer of Confession, OT12B

Call to Confession

To all with a fearful heart, be strong, do not fear! Your God is here. God has come and saved you. Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and seek God's mercy.

Prayer of Confession, OT12B

We, too, are sinners.

We point our fingers at the other
and shout "shame,"
but we, too, have fallen short of the glory of God.

We cower in fear of the giants that torment
instead of meeting them face to face,
toe to toe.
It is easier to stand on our side of the line
and shout
than it is to arm ourselves with truth
and stand for justice.

We, too, try on armor that doesn't fit
because someone else thinks we should,
because authority says we must,
than to walk to the front lines vulnerable
in our authenticity.

Forgive our cowardice, we pray,
and lead us forward with courage
and strength,
remembering who we are
and whose we are,
that we might march onward in the name
of Christ.


Assurance of God's Grace

The Lord is our light and our salvation. Whom shall we fear? The Lord is the stronghold of our lives. Of whom should we be afraid? (Ps. 27:1) In the name of Christ, 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.