God.

We know that this life we see is not all there is.

We read that in the Bible.
We hear that from our friends.
We believe it most of the time.
We want to have confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
There is what we see and what we cannot.
There is who we see and you we cannot.
There is where we are and where we will be.

But we confess, we forget that the life we see is not all there is.
In our distraction, we forget. Through our own inattention and the intentional distraction by others, we forget to hope for you. Forgive us.

In our good fortune, we forget. We forget that our gifts are not from us, the place we were born was not our choice, our current comfort is not a guarantee, nor is it to be our goal. Forgive us.

In our bad fortune we forget. We blame you, we blame others, we look for scapegoats, we ignore our responsibility for bad choices. We forget that what feels bad in this moment is often good in the next. Forgive us.

In our pain we forget. Because pain is real and sometimes all we can do in the moment of our pain is cry out. Forgive us for blaming ourselves for not being more spiritual, forgive us for thinking we are better than you, Jesus, who cried out in your pain.

In our loss we forget. Because death is real separation, because sudden death is so sudden, the thought of life extending after death often doesn’t comfort us at the moment. Forgive us for inflicting judgment on ourselves and others in times of loss.

And comfort us Spirit, with the truth that is present when we don’t feel it.

Help our faith, just as you helped Abel and Noah and Abraham in the moments when they wavered. Because they were people like us. And you are God like then.

Through Christ our Lord,

Amen.

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Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Hebrews 11:1-16