Confession

Confession is good for the soul. And that holds true for individuals as well as for organizations. I have often wondered if individuals, who make up the Church, ever pray a prayer of confession for the Church as well as for themselves. Confession is an admission of guilt or fault needing correction. Confession is the first step towards forgiveness, both that sought from the offended or violated person, as well and just as important for the one making the admission.

We have at our disposal one of the greatest prayers of confession that we should use more often for ourselves and for our Church. It is the one found in the beginning of our hymnal, and one prayed monthly at most of our churches:

Merciful God. We have a God of mercy rooted in love. All of scripture speaks of God's lovingkindness and readiness to forgive. This is a great starting point.

we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. Honest and realistic. We tend to love others or other things more than we love God. But our confession is personal and we should confess that we have not loved God as we should.

We have failed to be an obedient church. Just attend a meeting, any meeting, and ask yourself, What is this meeting about? Is it about doing what God expects of the church or is this meeting more about us?

We have not done your will, Not just the meeting, look at the calendar of events scheduled for any week of that church; does it reflect going beyond our walls and campuses to our neighborhoods to do good?

we have broken your law, Again, back to that "law" of loving one another or getting along with those who disagree with our points of view; and even the ten found in the Ten Commandments. Should we be reminded of what they say?

we have rebelled against your love,Love from God is free, but to accept it means our willingness to love others in everything we're about, our thoughts, words, and actions. Are these three holy and pure before God? Are they geared to making disciples for Jesus Christ?

we have not loved our neighbors,This in every regard is true. We don't know those who live across the street from us or who live across the street from our church, let alone love them in ways that bless and help them during their times of need. Most of us drive quietly into our parking lots of worship and leave the same way. We sometimes refuse to acknowledge all people as our neighbor. Remind yourself of the conversation Jesus had with the one who asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

and we have not heard the cry of the needy.Most of our dwellings and churches are comfortably air conditioned, the music is soothing (usually) and we are insulated from hearing anything from the outside; and when we do we express our frustration with our frowns and scowls or the eye contact we make with our "neighbors" in worship.

Forgive us, we pray. Lord, truly hear our prayers when we do ask for genuine forgiveness, meaning we want to repent, to turn away from this old way of living towards a new way, a better way, a more inclusive way.

Free us for joyful obedience,Joy is still allowed in church, but we wouldn't know it in some. Obedience is what is expected of those who love God and seek to do God's will. What did we use to sing? Oh yeah, "Trust and obey, for there's no better way!" Obedience lived out joyfully is a blessing to God and to us.

through Jesus Christ our Lord.All things center on Jesus, especially all done in the Church,and it is through Jesus that we should pray all prayers.

Amen This is like the "Like" button on Facebook, or the "10-4" from old days on the road, or "Roger" for those who fly or "May it be so" for those who truly pray in Jesus' name.

May it be so.