Grant, Almighty God,
that as You invite us daily with so much kindness and love
and make known to us Your Fatherly goodwill,
which You showed to us in Christ Your Son-
O grant that,
being allured by your goodness,
we may surrender ourselves completely to You,
and become so teachable and submissive that
wherever You guide us by Your Spirit,
You may follow us with every blessing.
In the meantime, let us not be deaf to Your warnings;
and wherever we deviate from the right way,
grant that we may immediately awaken when You warn us,
and return to the right path,
and condescend to embrace us and reconcile us to Yourself
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
John Calvin, 1509-1564, Swiss Reformer
Lifting Up Our Hearts, freely modified
Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago.
prayer & verse 