NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 4/5

  

 

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

- Psalm 86

I know you forgive sinners, Lord,
and I know how slow I can be 

to admit to my sins,

to acknowledge that I'm a sinner,

a sinner in need of your mercy and pardon...

And I know you're a judge, Lord, 

a just judge,
a merciful judge, a kind judge,

an insightful, wise and loving judge 

- but a judge nonetheless...

And I know that all I say and do

and all I fail to say and do,
and all my thoughts and schemes and fantasies
- that all these are subject to your judgment,

your just, merciful, wise, kind and loving judgment...

 

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

And I know, Lord, that I minimize my sins: 

I make them smaller than they are
until they seem to disappear 

or count as nothing worth the counting...

And I know I often blame the folks I've hurt,

the ones I've failed to love,
by pointing to their weaknesses and faults 

- while ignoring all my own...

And I know I sometimes find ways to think 

- and then believe  -

that for some reason, Lord,
your laws simply don't apply to me  

and so I give myself a pass, 

a Get Out of Jail Free card...

And I know I sometimes convince myself 

that  why I do a wrong thing
somehow makes a wrong thing right 

and justifies my deed...

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

And I often presume upon your mercy, Lord,

assuming that it's there for me 

without my ever even having said - "I'm sorry..."
without my taking time to count the times I've failed to love,

failed to listen to your word and to do what you ask of me,

failed to turn away from anything and everything

that turns my heart from you...

 And I so easily absolve myself of my failings
by comparing them to the greater sins of others,
forgetting that you judge me 

- not in comparison with my neighbor -

but only by the measure of your word:
that I love you above all things
and love my neighbor as myself...

In making light of my own faults, 

in pardoning myself,
I forget that you're my judge, Lord, 

that my every word and deed
are subject to your word, your law 

and your call that I live 

as one beloved by you...

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

I know you forgive sinners, Lord,

but how will I know your mercy
if I don't name my need for it 

and pray you look kindly on one like me
whose sins and pride cry out for your forgiveness?

Let me not presume upon your gift, your pardon, Lord,
a gift I don't deserve, a gift I cannot merit,
but a gift I so much need...

Have mercy on me, God, for you have promised
to be good and kind to all who call upon you...

Hear my prayer and help me face and name my sins

that I might open up my heart to your forgiveness
and in finding it, turn away from all the ways
that I've offended you and those around me...

 

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

In the quiet of my prayer tonight, Lord,

give me strength to stand in your light,
the light of truth that shines upon my sins...

In the quiet of my prayer tonight, Lord,

give me courage I need
to look squarely and honestly at my failings and my faults...

In the quiet of my prayer tonight, Lord, 

help me call upon your name
to seek pardon of my sins and the mercy of your grace...

In the stillness of this evening, Lord,

help me find your goodness,
your forgiveness and your abounding kindness...

Let me see how the gift of your mercy 

is the only path to peace...

Forgive me, Lord, 

and make me quick to forgive others

- and grateful when they forgive me...

Have mercy on me, O God,

for you are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness 

to all who call upon you...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep, rest in your peace...

 

Create In Me by Jay Stocker

 

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Create in me a pure heart, O God, O God,

   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, O God,

   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

So I can be holy, so I can be clean before you, Lord.

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, O God,

   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, O God,

   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

So I can be holy, so I can be clean before you, Lord.

So I can be holy, so I can be clean before you, Lord,

   before you, Lord, clean before you, Lord.

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, O God, 

 

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