Union Church Worship. March 15.2020

Based on Romans 12:9-16. Written and prayed by Peter Lyons

Father in Heaven,
We come before You to confess our sins in what we have done and left undone.
Our love and mutual affection is not like yours: it is not always genuine;
it is not pure. We don’t try to outdo one another in showing honor,
but instead get a little twisted out of shape if others don’t honor us.
We’re not zealous and fervent in spirit the way Jesus is,
even though You have given us abundant reason to respond to You that way.
We’re impatient in tribulation, not rejoicing in the hope of your deliverance,
but instead find ourselves cyring out in despair, “How long, O Lord?”
We forget to pray for those who persecute us.

We do not always avoid evil because of the harm
it does ourselves and others, but find ourselves involved in it.
In these timese of growing contagion and fear of getting sick,
we don’t contribute to the needs of thes saints
as much as we should, or show hospitality.
We get so involved in our own fears
that we don’t find space in our hearts to weep with those who weep.

Forgive us, Father. Forgive us and make us the people You want us to be,
with a pure love for others, more like your deep love for us.
Help us take your healing message to the needy, the fearful and the lonely,
in such times as this.

In Jesus’ name we pray.