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Just for a change, today you can eavesdrop on a prayer and even, if you wish, pray it with me:
Let us come to God in confession:
Have mercy on me O God this day, by showing my sinfulness in all its poison - by helping me to repent radically - to change the direction of my life, by forgiving me and providing a fresh start for my unworthy life.
Forgive Lord, for I say "Your will be done", but fight for my own way and sulking when I don't get it.
Forgive Lord, for I say "speak to me", but when you do I am spiritually deaf and think you are addressing someone else.
Forgive Lord, for I say "guide my steps" but follow my own map and towards the mirage of my self-image.
Forgive Lord, for I say "fill me with your spirit" but my tongue prefers to be contemptuous and my life is too full of me to have room for you.
Lord have mercy, I pray and let me be at home with you.
Forgive O Lord your church, of which I am a part, for you have called your servants to be your holy agents on earth, but throughout our history, and to this hour, we are known for our bigotry, our blindness and our play-acting. When we come before you Lord, we are ashamed of ourselves, and our history, and are no longer worthy to be called your children.
Purge your people, Lord, by the white fire of the Holy Spirit, and burn out our corruption. Enable your people to enter deeply into your gracious covenant and empower your people to preach and teach your word, to pray until the power from on high is given to do the deeds of Jesus who cared for the poor, defended the oppressed, healed the sick, released the captives and brought hope and joy and liberation to an enslaved and broken world.
Look in mercy on the lost ones of our land who believe they need naught but money and self-satisfaction, who curse by the name of the one who loves them, and who despise the Bible although they have never read it.
Lord deliver our generation which seeks direction from the stars and lucky charms, and whose children starve for vision of what is beautiful and just and truly good.
Lord hear this our prayer, and answer not according to the poverty of its petition, but according to the love and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now read Nehemiah Chapter 9, as much of the chapter as you can and pray meaningfully.
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