Faithfulness

Father, how unfailingly
Your mercy you extend to me
Though I offend continu'lly
In all I'm not, but ought to be. 

How sharp I feel the lack, my Lord
When I consider all your Word
To which I know to match my ways,
But still rebel and make delays. 

So let that poignance match the nails
Which you delayed not to impale
Christ, who became my sin's redress
That I'd become your righteousness. 

And with that mercy, send your grace
To lift up my downturnéd face
By strengthening me in your ways
To run enduringly this race. 

Uphold me that my steps not fal-
Ter til your will in me is done
For the sake of the prize of your upward call:
To be formed to the image of your Son.

Longsuffering

Matthew 18:21-35, Galatians 5:22-23

My God, there is no patience left in me But some in You there still must be For You have not yet slaughtered me. Though I -- who am so unforgiving, still And hard-hearted, against Your will -- Find all my impulse is to kill And crush these wretched fools for whom You died To save and raise them to reside With You, and in Your love abide. While I, o’er whom that love should hold all sway Would sooner follow my own way In rage, to make offenders pay As though Your sacrifice were not enough: God satisfied, shall I rebuff Forgiveness I, too, have need of? And having been by You forgiven all Shall I now for full payment call From my fellows? Oh God, forestall My folly! Am I not but one of them-- A fool in need of grace? So then, Why am I so impatient when All the mercy that they need Is no more than You've given me?

Matthew 10:8 

(In)Sufficiency

This life of love, it is so hard consistently to live
(But not, my Lord, for You)
[While You, from all eternity]

To all of myself selflessly at ev'ry moment give
(Who bore even the cross)
[Exist as selfless, out-poured Gift]

And in my finite imperfection so much falls between the cracks.
(To make all things anew)
[And now Your love, to heal our rift]

Have mercy, Lord of love: Let Your perfections make up for my lacks.
(Redeeming ev'ry loss.)
[Has made Your Spirit dwell in me.]

Prayers, Part 2: Confession, Supplication, Assurance

Continuing the series begun yesterday, here is the next prayer. These were purposely composed for public use in a worship service, and are therefore meant to be inclusive and communal (although they will also serve for private prayer) -- therefore, join me, if you will, in praying:

A Prayer of Confession and Supplication, Followed by an Assurance of Pardon

(To admit our sins and ask for God's forgiveness and help, and remember that He has promised to give it)

[Prayer is based on James 1:2-17]

[Assurance of pardon is almost a direct quote from Col. 1:11-14, 19-20]

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:8-9)

Therefore let us confess our sin to our God and Savior:

From Eden 'Til Now

"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."
(Genesis 3:6-7)

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."
(1 John 2:15-17)

From Eden 'Til Now

Lord, I confess the same disease

That chose the wrong between two trees

"The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes

And boastful pride of life" -- these lies

They tempt my heart from all Your good

T'ward all, instead, which drew Your blood

Upon the cross, that barren tree

Where You bore all our misery.

But since my sins have drawn it forth

Cleanse me in it; waste not its worth!

And since myself

They pierce, as well

There, for my good

Inject Your blood

'Til it replaces all my hell

With all of You, and makes me well.

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This began as a prayer of repentance,