Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
January 26, 2025
Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13)
Psalm 138
1 Cor. 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Eternal God, we come to you in need of confession. For all of our sophistication in technology and progress in culture we are still woefully primitive in our spirits. Like Isaiah we cannot stifle that inner wail of “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am one of unclean lips; and I live among a people of unclean lips.” We so easily fall into aimlessness and sin.
We are so uncomfortable with our own interior darkness and shadow that we project onto others and point to their sins, failings, and shortcomings. We are frightened and cannot bear to look within, so the flaws of others jump out at us. Teach us to be less judgmental. We find it easier to look for someone else to blame when something goes wrong and work to avoid any personal responsibility.
Teach us how to repent and to turn about. We demonize those whose views are different than our own and in idolatrous fashion we identify you with our causes. Teach us how to be tolerant and develop respect for others.
We so often hear messages from others out of our own personal history and limited perception and we just plain get it wrong because we put the worst spin on it.
Teach us how to interact with others, to clarify before jumping to judgment, and to find the truth.
Deliver us from the sin which would so easily beset us, gracious God. And give us the courage in confession to know that we are redeemed. Give us the power to live boldly as your redeemed people. Give to us the sense that on this day we have seen you who are high and lifted up and because of that are empowered to be your faithful people.
May we go forth knowing that our guilt has been removed and our sin forgiven. Amen
January 26, 2025
Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13)
Psalm 138
1 Cor. 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Eternal God, we come to you in need of confession. For all of our sophistication in technology and progress in culture we are still woefully primitive in our spirits. Like Isaiah we cannot stifle that inner wail of “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am one of unclean lips; and I live among a people of unclean lips.” We so easily fall into aimlessness and sin.
We are so uncomfortable with our own interior darkness and shadow that we project onto others and point to their sins, failings, and shortcomings. We are frightened and cannot bear to look within, so the flaws of others jump out at us. Teach us to be less judgmental. We find it easier to look for someone else to blame when something goes wrong and work to avoid any personal responsibility.
Teach us how to repent and to turn about. We demonize those whose views are different than our own and in idolatrous fashion we identify you with our causes. Teach us how to be tolerant and develop respect for others.
We so often hear messages from others out of our own personal history and limited perception and we just plain get it wrong because we put the worst spin on it.
Teach us how to interact with others, to clarify before jumping to judgment, and to find the truth.
Deliver us from the sin which would so easily beset us, gracious God. And give us the courage in confession to know that we are redeemed. Give us the power to live boldly as your redeemed people. Give to us the sense that on this day we have seen you who are high and lifted up and because of that are empowered to be your faithful people.
May we go forth knowing that our guilt has been removed and our sin forgiven. Amen