God.

You and we make promises.

Maybe that’s part of what it means to be a person, to make promises to other people. Commitments. Covenants. Agreements. We agree to belong to each other. We agree to belong to teams, to communities, to congregations. We say that we will keep faith.

And then we don’t.

We confess that we willfully choose to do things that we know are not for the good of those we are committed to.
We confess that we unwittingly make choices that damage our relationships.
We confess that we often do not live as if we await a savior.
We confess that we often believe that you will break your promises to us as easily as we break our promises to you.

But you won’t.

Jesus, your promise to never leave us or forsake us doesn’t depend on us or our behavior. Your promises to give us peace as we pray, to give us wisdom as we ask, to teach us your ways, to forgive our sins, your promises do not end.

And so today, we confess our sins, and we accept your forgiveness.
We confess our doubts, and we accept your certainty.
We confess our turmoil, and we accept your peace.
We confess our uncertainty, and we request your wisdom.

Thank you for your gentle probing that reveals our failures.
Thank you that the screaming condemnation is not you.

May we today know your peace.

Amen.

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Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35