Almighty King and precious Redeemer,
Your hand has been outstretched to do us good. Yet we have not been obedient to your word. We have not returned kindness for the favor you have shown us, or warmed to the way of the Lord.
Like the Israelites of old, we have grumbled against you. Like them we have become experts in complaining. For we have grieved your all wise providence and expressed contempt when you made our bellies full.
Have you not given us what we did not deserve? Yet we said it was not enough. Then, when you allotted us an even greater portion of the good things in life, we gave you no thanks, nor honored the Source of our blessing.
Father, our ways have been the ways of sinners. And we confess before you that we ought to be stripped of all that we have.
But we pray that one thing would not be taken away from us, and that is your grace and mercy. Let your unfailing love be ours, and let it be ours in abundance. And should you you take away all our possessions, we pray that you would take our sin away with it.
Should you grant that we continue with these gifts, we pray that they would not become a curse to us or used against us in any way. Rather we pray, with ever such boldness, that you would give us one thing more: that is, that you would give us a spirit by which we may enjoy and use these gifts properly. That we would have a heart that looks to you, rather to what you have bestowed.
Lord, in all these things we look to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we hold fast to his mediation. For there and there alone do we find our courage to come to you even now. And we pray that the wounds of our great High Priest would intercede for us even now before you.
For we ask this in His strong Name.
