Worship Words is here for you to use — feel free to use as is, to adapt, or to use for inspiration for your own. If you use these in printed materials, please credit the author. If you use them in online worship, there’s no need for verbal attribution but if you post the video and it’s possible to mention the author in the video description, please do. All submissions are from members of the RevGals community.
A Prayer of Confession, based in Genesis 32, from Kathy Swaar
These are contentious times, Author of Life.
We are constantly wrestling with something.
We wrestle with each other:
over opposing points of view, and their varied interpretations,
our differing experiences, or lack thereof,
over how to mend the rips and tears in the fabric of our lives,
who will or should stand in the gap.
We wrestle with ourselves:
our competing interests, obligations, time constraints,
our doubts and fears,
our cans and shoulds, our wants and needs.
And we wrestle with you, Holy One.
We wrestle with your Word –
with what it says, and what it means.
Preferring Holy Certainty to Holy Mystery,
we chafe against your inscrutable ways.
There is already too much uncertainty in these pandemic days.
We don’t like it.
Equating the wrestling with our most negative
perceptions of conflict, we seek to avoid it at all costs.
Forgive us, Holy One.
In so doing, we miss possibility; we short-circuit hope.
An integral part of discernment, it is in the wrestling
that we discover what we truly believe, what really matters,
where clarity, understanding, and positive change are birthed.
It is where we find you.
Cleanse and renew us, Author of Life.
Put a right spirit within us.
Replace our fear with tenacious faith, and stubborn, defiant hope.
May we choose, like our ancestor Jacob –
to stay present; to keep wrestling,
not letting go until your blessing is recognized and received.
Prayer for Illumination by Julia Seymour
God of love and mercy, Jesus had compassion for those in the crowds surrounding him. We dare to ask for that same compassion today. Nourish our hungry hearts and heal the sicknesses of our spirits. Grant us the will to hear Your truth and the courage to act on it. All glory for our daily provisions goes to you, Holy Parent, Holy Christ, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
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