Prayer of Confession, P+7C

Call to Confession 

Who is a God like (God), pardoning iniquity
    and passing over the transgression
    of the remnant of (God's) possession?
(God) does not retain (God's) anger forever
    because (God) delights in showing steadfast love.  (Micah 7:18) 

Let us confess our iniquity before God and seek God's mercy:

Prayer of Confession 

Have mercy on us, O God!
We long for you to speak peace to us,
but we do not speak peace to one another.
We long for you to put away your anger against us,
yet we continue to malign your name
by contradicting your law of love with our words
and our actions.
We not only fail to welcome strangers,
we spread falsehoods about them
and attack them 
and send them away without due process.
We not only fail to feed the hungry,
we burn tons of food rather than distribute it
to people who are starving.
We not only fail to heal the sick,
we destroy agencies that bring healing opportunities
to those who are suffering around the world.
Forgive the iniquity of this people
according to the greatness of your steadfast love,
just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now. (Numbers 14:19)
Transform our hearts of stone
to hearts that are broken 
by the things that break your heart.
Teach us compassion, O God.
Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors, we pray;
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins,
    for your name’s sake. (Psalm 79:8-9)

Assurance of God's Grace 

For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Hear the Good News: In the name of Jesus 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 week.