The freedom of confession and repentance
Tuesdays are important corporate days of Prayer and Fasting for the Kansas City Underground. On these days, we unite our voices around a central theme. This week we focus our prayer and fasting on the freedom of confession.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16
Confession and repentance are acts of freedom. As people who are saved and are continually being saved, confession reminds us of our need for God’s help. By confessing, we acknowledge our brokenness alongside our goodness. We were created for good, but we are prone to wander. Confession frees us from the illusion that we must have it all together. It is like a child running to the loving embrace of a parent. When we confess, we ground ourselves in the relentless love of God.
Return to Jesus
“Return to Jesus” has become a motto for the Kansas City Underground. The first agenda and the most important agenda is to return our attention, allegiance, and affections to Jesus. That movement is called Repentance. Repentance is not a dirty word, and it has nothing to do with toxic shame, or groveling to earn our keep.
Repentance is saying to Jesus, “You are right. About everything.” It’s admitting that our mental maps are gunked up. It’s admitting that our hearts are more broken and shattered than we care to see or admit. It’s remembering that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and in him we lack nothing. It describes the intentional practice of pausing, whether as an individual or community, to return to Jesus with a listening posture, in a spirit of humble dependence on Him for everything, with the intent of letting the Spirit of God search us and then show us how to return to Jesus in that moment through repentance.
Also, the Prayer of Examen has gained traction with the KC Underground as a simple, but powerful way to learn contemplative prayer. Today, we invite you to focus especially on the prayer of confession and repentance adapted from a liturgical practice over the last thousand years. As you engage in this practice, consider how Holy Spirit is leading you toward humility and transformation. This prayer guide was originally created by our partners Arrabon, which they have allowed us to adapt.
Confession and Repentance: Prayer of Examen
Get in a comfortable position– sitting, standing, walking, lying down. Take a few deep breaths, acknowledging the gift of breath in your lungs from our loving Creator.
Consider our cultural moment, the latest news headlines, interpersonal tensions, personal struggles, the brokenness of the world, or the anxieties of society. Each time you engage with this practice, invite God to bring a particular example to your mind.
Before you begin the Examen, ground yourself in God’s love and grace.
Pray this aloud:
I am your dearly loved child. Form me into your image. Empower me to live as a reconciler and peacemaker.
Confession
As we move into a space of confession, use this prayer of confession utilized across denominations for several centuries.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
Take some time to consider an area of sin in your own life. As you consider and confess these sins, receive the unconditional love and forgiveness of the Lord.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
Consider an area where you have not loved your neighbor as yourself. Who is that person? Pray for them now, asking for God’s forgiveness, recognizing and receiving the unconditional love and forgiveness of God.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Spend time resting in the relentless love of God. Pray slowly:
God, I know I am your beloved child. Before I have done anything right or wrong, you loved me the same. Thank you for your love and forgiveness.
Repentance
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15
Metanoia is the word for repentance. What was Jesus’ first word as he began his public ministry? Metanoia! This profound concept encompasses repentance as a radical paradigm shift and reorientation, inviting us to perceive the world through God’s eyes and then to act on that immediately through loving obedience. Jesus said that loving and obeying are two dies of the same coin. This is the only way to transformation, “Repent and believe How is Jesus inviting you to metanoia?
Consider the confessions you have made, what would repentance look like? Listen quietly. Turn what you hear into an “I will…” statement, share this with someone you trust from your team.