Approach and confession prayer 1 November 2020

Send your light to us

Lord God

lead us up to your Holy mountain

take us to the place where we can feel you close to us

close

as the breath in our lungs

close

as the tears in our eyes

close

as the blood pumping though our veins

lead us to the Holy mountain

that we may dwell awhile with you

taking in the wondrous view you set before us

across creation

seeing towns and villages

crofts and farms

forests and lochs before us

stretching beyond the horizon

all made and sustained and blessed by you

Send your light to us

Lord God

Lead us to your Holy mountain

the place where you dwell

that we may offer our sacrifices

before your throne

praying that, as you look into our hearts

you see our true intentions

for we know you alone are our judge

and you do so with mercy and love

Send your light to us

Lord God

Lead us to your Holy mountain

help us to walk that path with humility

gentleness, grace

to ourselves and others

Send your light to us

Lord God

Lead us to your Holy mountain

a place made Holy by your presence

yet we are not holy

we have sinned against you, Lord God

in what we have done

and what we have failed to do

in what we have said

and what we have failed to say

we feel we cannot approach the throne of grace

that our sacrifices would be rejected for our iniquities

Lord, have mercy on us

as quietly, we confess our sins to you

[pause]

May we know we are forgiven

our sins washed away

our clothes, white as snow

through the love of Christ

Christ

in whom we gather

to whom we pray

by whom we worship

this day

Amen