Prayer for October 24-30, 2010

Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

That we will seek your mercy in humility

God, we cry to You for mercy. Forgive us! Release us from the power that sin has held over our lives. Free us to live in obedience with hope. Unite our hearts with your own generous heart. We implore You because You are slow to anger and You abound in steadfast love and mercy.

Protect us from pride. Protect us from the delusion that we are better than our neighbors and less in need of your mercy. Forgive us for believing that we have achieved righteousness on our own and for looking at others to judge them, as though we were their creator or sovereign.

God, we know that we cannot justify ourselves before You, not now, or ever. So we pray with humility: claim us, again, as your own. We have no other hope. Amen.