Prayer of Repentance

Tonight Jay [of J-Talk] sent me another IM. While I cannot pretend to the conversation's ability to amuse (at least relative to the J-talk episode), I will categorically vouch for its depth and its value to me in effecting spiritual, moral, and intellectual improvement.

From our chat, I gathered that Jay has been asked to lead corporate prayer at his church tomorrow; he has been directed (or has chosen of his own accord) to pray on repentance. I have reproduced his prayer below:

Prayer of Repentance: September 3, 2006 CCCC

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

Almighty God, Your invisible attributes—your eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made. So we are without excuse. We have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

In front of You we make no pretense of living sanitary, pleasant lives as we do before others. We are weak, frail, stumbling creatures, and we lay open our hearts before you.

God, we are tempted in so many ways. There is sin in our lives that we love to play with, that we tuck away in some corner of our mind, that we long for and cherish, that promises to satisfy and comfort.

But these things are hollow--these things that consume our energy and deaden our senses.

Some of us are sinning with regard to achievement and status. We sacrifice time and relationships to get our promotion or raise our gpa. We long for recognition and admiration. We equate a bigger house and a nicer car with true success. And we have been doing this for so long that we yearn for power and money and prestige instead of yearning for humility and holiness.

Some of us are sinning with regard to relationships. We harbor hatred and resentment. We secretly plan retaliation and fantasize about it. We hang on unforgivingly to our bitterness and hurt those we love deeply. At the same time we turn relationships into idols. We hold approval by a parent or a spouse or a boyfriend or girlfriend in higher regard than approval by You. And we have been doing this for so long that in moments of joy and in moments of crisis we turn first to man before we turn to You.

Some of us are sinning with regard to the covenant of marriage. We sin against our bodies. We commit adultery in our hearts by lusting for what we do not have. We watch television and movies that inflame our desires. We walk willingly into the trap of pornography. We read books and magazines that tantalize us and urge us that the world offers satisfaction greater than the holy covenant of marriage. And we have been doing this for so long that we believe the lie that sex and marriage exists primarily for our own selfish pleasure.

Some of us are sinning with regard to safety and stability. We feed our anxious hearts by dwelling on endless possibilities. We hoard and save in hopes that our insurance policies and our retirement accounts and our security systems will forever preserve our comfort. We follow the path that is most cautious and most prudent rather than the one that is most fruitful and gives you the most honor. When we leave our neighborhoods, we walk to the other side of the street and grip our bags more tightly. And we have been doing this for so long that we call it anything except sin.

Each one of us harbors sin that leads us to doubt your sufficiency and your wisdom. You know our hearts and we confess that we have offended you. As David prayed, we acknowledge that it is against you only that we have sinned.

Your justice must be satisfied; our penalty must be borne.

We have seen the destruction brought by floodwaters and tsunamis. Your coming judgment is far more destructive, far more comprehensive, and far more certain than any flow of water. And we are far more powerless to stop it. On our own, we are hopeless. We confess that powerlessness to you and declare it to each other.

Powerful, knowing, and just God, we approach your throne through our great high priest Jesus Christ. We who believe and embrace your promise depend on His mediation to bring us to You. We praise you that though our sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

We turn away by the power of your Spirit from the empty promises of sin.

We ask for your forgiveness and rejoice that it is ours in Jesus Christ.

May our repentance give you honor here today.

Amen.