A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 3/22

Oh, God…

I confess my pride in thinking
that others are sinners
but I am not...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my imperfections,
my faults, my failings,
my bad habits and my wrongdoing...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to being a jerk
while driving and lots of other times, too...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to eating too much
drinking too much,
spending too much
and wasting too much...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to giving too little
when I have so much more than I need...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to putting so many things in my life
ahead of you...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to not being faithful to prayer and worship,
especially on the Lord’s Day...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to losing my temper with children,
with adults - and with myself...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my selfish need
to be noticed and admired...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to being smug and self-righteous...
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to being ungracious toward others...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to being careless
and failing to be responsible...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess not forgiving others
as I'd want to them to forgive me...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to enjoying comfort and plenty
as if I'm entitled to them...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to lustful glances, unclean thoughts
and impure deeds...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to being unfaithful to promises I've made...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess the grudges and resentments
I carry against my neighbor...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my envy and jealousy...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to language and humor
that are rude and vulgar...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my impatience and insensitivity...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my dishonesty, my unfairness,
my cheating, my duplicity, my half-truths
and my failures to act justly...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my prejudice and quick judgments...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my insincerity and hypocrisy...
Lord, have mercy!

And I confess whatever I didn't find on this list
but I know is in my heart....
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my sins, both large and small,
for each transgresses your great love for me...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess that I'm a sinner, Lord,
in need of your mercy,
in need of the gift of your suffering
on the Cross...

I confess that with all others
I need to stand at the foot of your Cross
and let your precious Blood
cleanse me of my sins...

I confess my need for you
and my need to walk with you
through these days of Holy Week...

Lord, have mercy!
Christ, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy!

Amen.