Here’s
a prayer of thanksgiving and confession for the Sunday after Easter. It is
inspired by the suggested scripture readings for Easter 2, Year B in the
Revised Common Lectionary. It was written by Rev. David McNeish and posted on
the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship
website.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession
Almighty
God,
the
world reverberates with Your praise,
resonating
with Your love,
and
with the wonder of Your resurrection.
Death
could not hold You,
and
in Your life is our life.
Decay
is not the final word,
for
You are the everlasting word,
the
eternal source of all goodness and all kindness,
all
mercy and all love.
Thank
You that You sing over us this morning,
quietening
us with Your love,
enlivening
us with Your grace,
encouraging
us with Your tender care.
Remind
us again to be grateful
for
all You are and all You have done,
and
for all You are doing through us and through others
to
bring Your kingdom closer.
Yet
You know that sometimes we drown out Your song.
We
sing a different tune, of discord and division.
We
don’t want to hear of Your harmony or Your help
and
turn down Your accompaniment in our lives.
Forgive
us God,
for
the ways in which we hurt and harm those around us,
the
ways in which we hurt and harm ourselves, in word and deed,
and
damage the life of Your world.
Forgive
us too for the ways in which we have failed to say and to do
those
things that would have brought life to ourselves and to others.
Cleanse
us and restore us;
refresh
us and inspire us
that
we would realize again
our
need of each other and of You,
that
we might be Your community of the resurrection,
abundant
in Your grace and power
to
tell of Your wonder and sing of Your care. Amen.
~ written by Rev. David McNeish, Minister of Milestone
Church, West Mainland of Orkney. It was posted on the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/48420/D_8_April_David_McNeish_2_after_Easter_formatted.pdf
