re:Worship: Prayer of Confession: What Really Matters

Here’s a prayer of confession written by David Mosser. It was posted on the Ministry Matters website.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Mark 9:24, Luke 14:28, Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

O God, our Heavenly Creator,

we confess that we have lost our way.

Too easily we are distracted from what really matters.

In our better moments we recognize that life is better than death

and love is superior to hate.

Yet, far too often in the heat of the moment,

we lose our heads—

and perhaps worse—we lose our hearts.

We do things and say things that betray our lack of faith

and perhaps even our lack of emotional control.

We each strive to control our life.

We strive to make a name for ourselves.

We make every effort to protect our loved ones and ourselves.

We are well meaning, Lord,

but sometimes we choose paths that lead us away from you.

So today we acknowledge our sin and confess our shortcomings,

and with humility we ask you to help us strive for the greater gifts

and to show us a still more excellent way.

We want to be your people,

but we are sometimes afraid of your demands.

Our fears run deep and we cannot overcome them by ourselves.

You know, O Lord, that we have tried.

Remind us once again

that the beginning of wisdom is to trust your holiness.

Help us cling to this trust

and live with the faith that you will provide for us.

As we worship you in deep conviction,

speak the words of comfort and hope to us once again.

Empower us with the Holy Spirit

that we may say with the Gospel writer,

“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Words of Assurance

The Lord of the Universe assures us

that in our human lives before God we are to

“first sit down and estimate the cost.”

Be assured that our greatest possession—

the only possession that we can never lose—

is our possession of you, O God.

We are God’s people.

It is God who made us and we are God’s.

“We are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture.”

Thanks be to God. Amen.