Approach and confession prayer 3 June 2018

Give glory to God in the highest

Praise the Lord, the Mighty One

Whose love endures forever

Sing to the Lord, who is our strength in our weakness

our hope in our doubt

our assurance in our fears

Give honour to the King of Kings

whose rule is just

whose judgement is fair

whose compassion knows no bounds

for in God’s compassion

God calls to us

whispers in the night, near dawn

speaking our names, at the break of day

asks us to listen to God’s voice

a voice which spoke forth continents and countries

a voice which breathed life into the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, all that crawls and slithers

a voice which longs to speak to us now,

through our hymns

through words of the bible

through our shared experience in devotion this hour

as we worship the Almighty King

who is our strength and through whom we may have confidence

to profess our faith

to live our faith

to love our faith

a faith which invites us to listen to the voice of the Lord calling to us

a faith which declares sins forgiven

debts erased

guilt removed

no matter when or where

we pause, Lord God, to reflect on all we have failed to listen to your calling

to love you most of all

more than money or possessions,

more than status and power

more than rules and regulations

forgive us Lord when we have placed love of these things before love of you and in so doing have failed to love our neighbour as ourselves

[pause]

Christ Jesus

cleanse us, renew us

for your sake and the sake of your gospel

remind us we are loved beyond measure

and called to love without cost

now and always may our deepest desire be to love God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit first

to do your will and listen to your voice calling near dawn

Amen