Here’s a beautiful prayer of penitence and thanksgiving based on Psalm 30. It was written by Joan Stott.
Prayer of Penitence and Thanks
(based on Psalm 30)
Holy God, we come before you as a community of faith, conscious that there have been many times when we have expected the “good times” to continue; and that we arrogantly believed that we would will always be an approved voice in our community for love, peace and justice. We regret that we assumed that people would always want to listen to us, as we spelled out our views on how life should be lived in relationships, each and every day. But with deep remorse, we now realise that we have not always taken a courageous stand against intolerance, injustice or violence.
Grace-supplying God, we give you thanks for the sudden jolt that has come our way, that has made us re-evaluate who and what we are in your sight, and in the sight of our local community. Regretfully, we needed that jolt to make us wake up to reality; to the way we have failed to be your people and your voice in a community desperate for the voice and hands of love, acceptance and compassion.
We have become so comfortable and self-satisfied with our past actions on your behalf in this community, that we had forgotten that we need to make a daily commitment to your life of justice, love and peace for all peoples. We seek your merciful forgiveness, and make a renewal of our commitment to your mission of giving and not taking; and of respectfully sharing the good gifts God has so generously given to us.
Generous God, with joy, and thankful hearts and minds we celebrate our new consciousness of our mission in this place and time, and seek your acceptance of our worship, witness and service in your name—to your honour and glory. Amen.
Grace-supplying God, we give you thanks for the sudden jolt that has come our way, that has made us re-evaluate who and what we are in your sight, and in the sight of our local community. Regretfully, we needed that jolt to make us wake up to reality; to the way we have failed to be your people and your voice in a community desperate for the voice and hands of love, acceptance and compassion.
We have become so comfortable and self-satisfied with our past actions on your behalf in this community, that we had forgotten that we need to make a daily commitment to your life of justice, love and peace for all peoples. We seek your merciful forgiveness, and make a renewal of our commitment to your mission of giving and not taking; and of respectfully sharing the good gifts God has so generously given to us.
Generous God, with joy, and thankful hearts and minds we celebrate our new consciousness of our mission in this place and time, and seek your acceptance of our worship, witness and service in your name—to your honour and glory. Amen.
— written by Joan Stott, and posted on the Geelong City Parish website. If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows: © 2012 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year B, used with permission.
