A Prayer of Confession

From my friend J.R. Briggs' blog, Broken Stained Glass...

Forgive us O Lord: A Prayer for American Politics

Forgive us O Lord, for being divisive rather than working to build unity.

Forgive us O Lord, for striving to be right more than striving to be kind.

Forgive us O Lord, when we desire to be understood more than to understand.

Forgive us O Lord, for placing our hope in a person, a system, a government - rather than in you alone.

Forgive us O Lord, for complaining about politics rather than thanking you for our freedom.

Forgive us O Lord, when we use our mouths - and our email forwards - to tear down "the other."

Forgive us O Lord, for spending more time and energy thinking about the Empire than the kingdom.

Forgive us O Lord for speaking poorly and wishing ill will on another candidate.

Forgive us O Lord, when we are known more for following a party than for following the Risen Christ.

Forgive us O Lord, for claiming that God is only on "our side."

Forgive us O Lord, for claiming and proclaiming that one political party completely and accurately represents the politics of Jesus.

Forgive us O Lord, when we forget that the heart of the king is in your hands.

Forgive us O Lord, for being more excited to speak to others about our candidate than about our Savior.

Forgive us O Lord, when we think this prayer is for someone else we know and not for ourselves.

Give us grace to treat others with dignity and respect, even in the midst of our differences.

Give us wisdom - not just with what we say and do, but how we say them and do them - so that we may not represent our political party, but that we may represent the one who has given us True Life.

Amen.

Comments

[Dan Ra]

Tim,

Thank J.R. (and you) for that loving rebuke. Politics have become an idol.

[Larry]

And I would add:

Forgive us, Lord, when we demonize our brothers and sisters over transient and secular politics.

[sally]

Thanks for the reminder, Tim. It's hard to balance the tension with the love we are called to always live out.

[Kevin]

Amen.

[Vanessa P.]

And *all* the people said:

"Amen."

[Todd Clary]

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Thanks for that, Tim.

[Cody]

Amen Brother