Our Lenten worship series is “Good Enough: Embracing the Imperfections of Life and Faith” from the Worship Design Studio. The inspiration is Kate Bowler’s new book, Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. This week’s theme is “So Much Is Out of Our Control.”
Isn’t that the truth!
It’s hard to accept that so much is out of our control. It’s stressful and scary. We’re really good at control. Or, we think we are. We’re good at pretending we’re in control. But if we’re really honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what we’re actually good at is trying to create circumstances that give the illusion of control.
Our prayer of adoration and confession this week, recognizes the order God puts around our life and our attempts to take it over. Whether for personal reflection or a worship service, I hope it helps you release some of your need for control and lean more into God’s faithfulness.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession with Genesis 1
God of Creation, when the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, you brought order to the chaos. You brought time into being by creating Day and Night. You give us rhythm to our lives.
But we seek to control time. We make lamps to illuminate the Night and pull down blinds to block out the Day.
We rework the rhythm of life.
You separated the waters from the dry land, giving us a place to live and for your trees and plants to grow.
But we seek to control the solid ground and the watery expanse. We build canals to divide the land. We build levees to hold back the seas.
None of these are bad, but they represent our need for control. In big and small ways, we try to organize and manage our lives to avoid discomfort.
We easily believe that we have the power to control time and prevent chaos.
But then life happens.
And we realize there is so much out of our control.
silent reflection
God of both the calm and the chaos, rather than looking to ourselves, help us look to you. In all situations, teach our hearts to trust your faithful love.
As we release the illusion of control, may we hold ever tightly to you. Amen.
The world is going right downhill,
way out of control,
Satan’s way to show he’s still
on his worldly roll,
but, hey, that’s Earth, and that’s the breaks
purchased with the fall,
but God has done that which it takes
to save us, one and all.
The gift of life is in His hand,
His grace just for our taking
if we will only understand
that control’s not of our making,
but from this world stands quite apart,
abiding in His loving heart.