Prayer of Confession: Walking with God

Here’s a prayer of confession from Rev. Mindi’s Rev-o-lution website.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God,

You have set before us the path

but we have wandered on our own

to try to find our way.

Sometimes we are like toddlers

and we hear Your call and come back.

Other times, we are children testing boundaries,

ignoring Your call until fear finally makes us look back.

And still other times we are full of youthful rebellion,

demanding to be cut loose and set free,

not knowing how much we still need

to seek Your wisdom and guidance.

But most of all, too often we think we are adults

and have figured it all our and know our own way,

only to stumble and stray so far. 

Remind us, parental God,

that we are always Your children,

that we are never fully grown up in Your sight,

that we always have much to learn.

Help us to seek You every day,

to acknowledge that we need Your wisdom and guidance,

and help us to return to the path and walk with You.

In the name of Christ,

who is our companion on this journey of faith, we pray. Amen.

~ written by Rev Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution. http://rev-o-lution.org/

Prayer: 1 Corinthians 3

Here’s a prayer of commitment from Christine Jerrett, written after reading 1 Corinthians 3. It was posted on her blog, Christine Jerrett.

A prayer after pondering 1 Corinthians 3

Truth-telling Saviour,

You gather your people into one Body;

gathering us beyond the divisions we create

by our fears that it is all up to us

to make our lives count;

divisions we create in our anxiety

to make the future turn out right.

Crucified and risen Saviour,

You are among us,

offering us your truth that sets us free;

and your grace that shapes a good future for all;

and your love that fills our lives and lifts us up.

These gifts draw us ever deeper into

your creative presence;

these gifts that form us into a people

who carry your life-giving future in our world.

Open our eyes to their liberating truth.

Open our hearts to receive them.

By your Holy Spirit,

form in us a passion for your purposes —

a passion that overcomes our self-centredness;

a passion that makes us large in generosity.

Then, grant us your Spirit of wisdom,

that we may see the work you are doing

and may join in with glad and grateful hearts

and be the blessing you have summoned us to be.

We ask in the name of Jesus

whose death and resurrection

has made us people of hope.

~ written by Christine Jerrett and posted on Christine Jerrett. https://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/

Sending Words: The Faith of Fools

Here are sending words inspired by Paul’s teaching about “foolishness” in 1 Corinthians.  It was written by Cheryl Lawrie, and posted on [hold this space].

Sending Words

(inspired by 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, 3:18-20)

They are right,
those who doubt what we do.
It is purely the product of over-active imaginations.

Who but the foolish would look at barren ground and imagine food for all,
see past desolation and believe it will become an oasis,
would not be stopped by war, but live for the day it will be peace,
and reach deep into the world’s fear in the prayer it would bring life.

So if faith is the terrain of the deluded
then may you leave here with the faith of the fools
who have loved the world since it’s beginning
and will live for its redemption until its end.

~ written by Cheryl Lawrie, and posted on [hold this space].  http://holdthisspace.org.au/

Prayer of Confession: Teach Us to Love

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:27-38 and Matthew 5:38-48. It was written by Todd Yonkman and posted on his

Prayer of Confession

God, we are so conditioned to respond in kind.

We are so worried that when the reckoning comes,

we will find ourselves left with the short end of the stick.

And not without reason.

The powerful take and take and lie and lie

and oppress and oppress

seemingly without consequence.

Teach us to love with skill.

Teach us to love with precision.

Teach us to love with abandon,

trusting that when we step into

the ocean of your abundant love

we will receive the blessings of your abundant life. Amen.

~ written by Todd Yonkman and posted on his website, Todd Grant Yonkman.

https://todd-grant-yonkman.net/2019/02/11/worship-resources-for-epiphany-7c-february-24-2019/

Sending: Turning Grudges into Grace

Here’s a closing commission (sending words) inspired by Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:38-48 and Luke 6:27-38. It was posted on the Community of Christ website (link below). 

Sending Words

(inspired by Matthew 5:38-48, Luke 6:27-38)

Go now, turning grudges into grace.

Turn fractures into forgiveness.

Turn hardness into hearts broken open by love.

~ posted on the Community of Christ website. https://www.cofchrist.org/worship-resources-19-february-2017

Call to Worship: Revolution

Here’s a call to worship inspired by Matthew 5: 38-48 and Luke 6:27-38.  It was written by Roddy Hamilton.

Revolution

(inspired by Matthew 5: 48-58, Luke 6:27-38)

The enemy:
            love them
The oppressor:
            walk the mile with them
The Master:
            turn the other cheek to them

This doormat faith
seems too much to bear
in a world where those who bully
always seem to win

The enemy:
            imbalance them with love
The oppressor:
            shame the law that oppresses
The Master:
           turn the cheek as an equal

This rebellious faith
seems too much to bear
in a world where those who bully
are loved back to justice by the bullied

But this is heaven’s revolution
and we are called into it
come let us worship
love’s rebel, Jesus

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

Prayer for Enemies

Here’s a prayer for enemies from the German Reformed theologian, Jurgen Moltmann.

Prayer

(inspired by Matthew 5:43-48, Luke 6:27-38, Romans 12:9-21)

Heavenly Father, we call upon you in Jesus’ name. 

We come with empty hands. 

We have not been able to love our enemies. 

As a rule we have never even seen them. 

We have avoided them. 

When we saw them, we felt only fear and anger, not love.

So we come to you, not as the children of your love,

but as the enemy of our enemies,

beseeching you for ourselves and all the others;

Bless those who curse you,

do good to those who hate you. 

Forgive us for what we have failed to do for our enemies.

You lead us out of the constriction of fear

and out of the prison of hate,

into the wide space of freedom. 

Let us see your sun,

which rises upon the evil and the good,

and rejoice in its warmth, together with our enemies.  Amen.

~ written by Jurgen Moltmann, in a sermon entitled “Revolutionary Love of our Enemies” in The Power of the Powerless. http://www.amazon.com/Power-Powerless-Jurgen-Moltmann/dp/0334012783   

Call to Worship: Turning a Cheek

Here’s a call to worship which explores true strength.  It is inspired by 1 Samuel 17:1-58 and Matthew 5:38-42 (Luke 6:28-31).  It was written by Katherine Hawker.

Turning a Cheek

(inspired by 1 Samuel 17:1-58, Matthew 5:38-42)

Strength is commanding

the wind and sea to obey,

Strength is wielding

a slingshot in the face of a raging giant.

Strength is accepting vulnerability

from inside the boat,

Strength is standing in solidarity

with the powerless.

Strength is turning a cheek,

Strength is loving an enemy.

We come to worship

a God who redefines our vision of strength.

~ written by Katherine Hawker, 1997, and posted on Liturgies Outside.  http://liturgyoutside.net/  

Sending Forth: Loving Enemies

Here’s a closing commission and brief benediction inspired by Matthew 5:43-48. It comes from the Community of Christ website.

Sending Words

(inspired by Matthew 5:43-48)

We have sung the songs of faith.

We have heard the challenges of scripture.

Let us go now,

continuing our sacred journey

in an attitude of service and grace.

Let us love our enemies

and pray for those who do us harm.

Let us care for those who are evil

as well as for those who are good,

knowing how to set boundaries.

And the presence of our God goes with us. Amen.

~ Posted on the Community of Christ website. http://www.cofchrist.org/

Prayer of Confession: Loving Others

Here is a prayer of confession and words of assurance from Rev. Mindi’s Rev-o-lution website. They were inspired by the scripture readings for Epiphany 7A.

Prayer of Brokenness/Confession

Holy God,

we confess that we do not always love our neighbor.

We confess that we have despised others,

even to the point of hatred.

We confess that we have been hurt by others.

We confess that forgiveness and reconciliation at times

are just impossible for us.

We know that nothing is impossible in You.

We come to You, seeking healing and wholeness for us.

Help us, whenever possible, to live in peace with others,

to seek reconciliation and healing and forgiveness.

For Your Son came and lived among us,

was betrayed and denied,

abused and put to death.

He rose again,

and came with the message of peace to those

who had denied him and abandoned him.

May we walk in his ways. Amen.

Blessing/Assurance of Pardon
(inspired by Matthew 19:26, Psalm 139, Romans 8:31-39)

For nothing is impossible with God.

There is no place you can go,

no end of the earth you can run,

where God cannot find you.

There is nothing on earth or beyond death

that can separate you from the love of God

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You are forgiven.

You are loved.

You are reconciled to God.

Go and live with the love of God. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution. http://rev-o-lution.org/

Prayer: Your Steadfast Love Renews Us

Here’s a prayer of commitment from Thomas Turner’s Everyday Liturgy site.

Prayer

God of goodness and mercy,

of gentleness and kindness,

of righteousness and faithfulness:

be the light of our salvation

and sustain our souls.

We offer the daily tasks

that consume us to you,

for we accomplish nothing

without your grace.

We submit to your will,

that we should love you

with our everything

and love our neighbors,

and even our enemies,

as ourselves.

Renew us and transform us

by your steadfast love

into the people of God.

Amen

~ written by Thomas Turner, and posted on EverdayLiturgy. http://everydayliturgy.com/

Prayer for Terrorists and Terrorism

Almighty God, Lord of all compassion,

events in recent weeks remind us

that we continue to live in a broken and deeply divided world.

We cannot comprehend what drives people to acts of terror and destruction,

and to a willingness to kill and maim innocent people

in the name of religion. 

As Jesus commanded,

we pray for our enemies and those who wish us ill;

we pray for an end to hatred and needless violence;

we pray for children left orphaned, and bereaved parents;

we pray for those who live with physical and mental scars of terrorism.

And we also pray for those who work to relieve the suffering.

Pour your Spirit on us

to enable us and all your people

to work for justice and true peacemaking,

In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

~ inspired by a prayer posted on the website of the NSW Council of Churches in 2011. http://www.nswchurches.org/Resources/Prayers/PR1101_September11.pdf

Praying the Sermon on the Mount

Here’s a prayer of petition and commitment inspired by Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5).  It was written by Jamie Arpin-Ricci in his book The Cost of Community.  (See below for links.)

Praying the Sermon on the Mount

(inspired by Matthew 5-7)

Lord and Creator,

let us embrace the costly blessings which you desire for us,

blessings that confound the wisdom and strength of this world.

Teach us to be your agents of preservation in a world touched by death,

and beacons of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.

Transform us into your image through the crucible of the cross,

writing your mandates upon our hearts, made pure by you perfect love.

Embolden us to be your ambassadors,

Living as representatives of your holy kingdom,

stirring in us your love for others,

especially for those who would seek to destroy us because of you.

Make us decrease so that you might increase,

as a watching world sees you, not us.

Daily we declare that your priorities are ours,

even before our own needs and desires.

Every moment we live, we live for your glory—

the glory of a loving Father and a just King.

Free us of any distraction, craving or anxiety

that would keep us from fully following you.

For we acknowledge that everything we could possibly need

is yours to give us.

Remind us of our sinful brokenness and your gift of grace

as we encounter brokenness in others.

You are the answer to our every question.

You are the treasure that we desperately seek,

and it is you who invite us into your salvation,

as prodigals returning to the Father’s embrace.

Keep us upon your path of righteousness and justice,

bearing the good fruit of your Spirit,

for it is on you, Lord Jesus, that all hope is built,

For all of creation, now and forever more. Amen

~ written by Jamie Arpin-Ricci, in The Cost of Community by Jamie Arpin Ricci.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UXKB3S   Posted on Godspace. http://godspace-msa.com/2012/09/28/prayers-for-the-journey-48/