Living Merciful God, we confess our need to be forgiven.

You love us and fill us like no other yet we are distracted and enticed by that which does not satisfy nor sustain us.

You love us but we place our trust in political parties, bank accounts, technology-- things capable of good but not qualified to bring wholeness and instead feed fear and isolation from others, ourselves and You.

You love us and yet we do not love as you have loved us. We keep score of wrongs against us, ignore the plight of others and discount the injustice around us.

You love us yet we doubt your word, fail to let it permeate our mind and actions and instead develop doctrines and false theologies that try to own you and shape you in our own image.

You love us, Lord, so we confess our sin, ask for your forgiveness and for the courage to love more extravagantly in response to your grace, mercy and love.

Assurance

Friends, the prophet Isaiah records these words of our Lord:

“Come now, let us reason together,
    says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.

Hear the Good News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen