Holy God our Father:
How grateful are that you have taught us to call upon you by the name of Father. You have made us, given us life and breath. We have turned from you, born in sin and trespasses. Yet through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus, you have adopted us into your family. You have loved us with an everlasting love. You have given us a new name, a new life, a new heart, a new beginning.
We say these things because you have taught us that they are true. And we believe that they are true. At the same time, we confess before you that our doubts, our behavior, our fears, our shame all testify to our hearts that our trust in your love and good will for us is incomplete. We know in our heads that you have told us you love us. But we know ourselves. And we are only beginning to know you. And so, when the chips are down, we’re not so sure.
We have protected so many parts of our lives from you. We have lived our own way. We have tried so see what we can get away with. And all the while, all you want from us is a heart that returns your love. All you ask from us is the broken pieces of the lives we have messed up so that you can put the pieces back together and make something beautiful of us.’
Give us eyes to see the face of Jesus, to see the beauty of what his cross shows us about your heart for us. give us a new understanding of your heart for us. And so, may we know the fullness of joy. May we give our lives to you in reckless abandon, trusting that you love us more than we love ourselves, trusting that you will find joy in giving us a life of joy.
Amen.
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