Prayer of Confession

Recently I got a really cool birthday gift from a great aunt of mine. They are A Man Called Peter and The Prayers of Peter Marshall. Peter Marshall was a pastor back in the 30's and 40's who was known for his amazing prayers. He was eventually asked to be the Senate Chaplain and served Republicans and Democrats alike. The books were originally owned by my great grandmother (Maude Clemons). She and my great grandfather (Thomas Lincoln Clemons) loved Jesus a lot and gave their whole lives in service to him.

Below is one of the prayers by Peter Marshall. It is a prayer of repentance that I plan to use this Sunday as a way to start the season of Advent. I've edited out the Thees and Thous to make it a little easier to read.

"Confession" by Peter Marshall O Lord, I come to you out of my great need. You have pledged your word that whosoever comes to You shall in no way be cast out.

I dare to pray something will happen to me in Your presence. Lord, I know I need to be changed! For the visions that once swept across the leaden skies of monotony, like white-winged gulls, have dimmed and faded, and I would see them again. Open my eyes.

Shame fills my heart as I remember the aspirations that I have breathed before You, the vows I made, the resolves that were born, the seedlings of consecration that were planted in my heart. I blush to remember the withering blight that touched them all – my failure, my shortcomings.

Lord, I confess before You that: I have had longings and nudges from You which I did not translate into action;

I have made decisions without consulting You, then have blamed You when things went wrong.

I have said that I trusted You, yet have not turned my affairs over to You.

I have been greedy for present delights and pleasures, unwilling to wait for those joys which time and discipline alone can give.

I have often sought the easy way, have consistently drawn back from the road that is hard.

I have been fond of giving myself to dreams of what I am going to do sometime, yet have been so slow in getting started to do them.

Forgive me for all the intentions that were born and somehow never lived. These, Lord Jesus, are sins, grievous in Your sight, grievous even in mine.

And now I claim Your promise to change me. Do You for me what I cannot do for myself. Lead me into a new tomorrow with a new spirit. Cleanse my heart, create within me new attitudes and new ideas, as only You can create them.

For these good gifts, I thank You, Lord. Amen.