Matthew R. Green's Blog, page 28

A Lenten Collect to Bring Our Sins to the Light

God of light and truth, from whom no deed is hidden, draw us out of the darkness, that our sins and failings might be seen clearly and in that exposure find forgiveness and healing in your gracious love, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who loved us to the end and now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in glory forever and ever. Amen.

"For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." - John 3:20-21

A Lenten Collect to Love the Light

God of light and goodness, whose very nature is love and defines for us what goodness is, keep us from loving darkness and hiddenness, that we would not seek to hide from the truth but would desire to do those things that need no hiding and are worthy of being shown to the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in perpetual love and light. Amen.

'And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.' - John 3:19

A Lenten Collect of Thanks for God's Offer of Salvation

Gracious Father, who desires such good for your children, we thank you and praise you for your great love for us, desiring that we might be rescued from our own foolishness and self-destruction. Grant that we might receive the gift you offer and that the world might be saved through your Son, through him who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in great love and joy forever and ever. Amen.

"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." - John 3:17

A Lenten Collect to Maintain Hope for the World

Lord God Almighty, who is patient with your foolish children, you did not condemn the world. Keep us also from condemning the world, that we might, like you, maintain hope for the redemption of all, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who offered himself as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world and now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in glory. Amen.

"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." - John 3:17

A Lenten Collect to Trust in Jesus

Lord Jesus Christ, only son of God, grant us faith to trust in you, that we might follow your ways and obey your commands, receiving through your words, your ways, and your life the undying life that you have promised, through you who live and reigns with the Father and Holy Spirit, one God in glory forever. Amen.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." - John 3:16

A Lenten Collect to Do Good

Holy Father, whose nature is goodness and whose character is ever virtue and love, incline our hearts to do good and to care for those around us, that we would not bring harm to one another and so live in peace in this good world you have created, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who showed us how to live and now abides with you and the Holy Spirit forever in glory. Amen.

'You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.' - Ex. 20:13-17

A Lenten Collect to Take Sabbath Rest

O Lord our God, who created all things and then stopped to enjoy all that you had done, let us set aside time for rest as you, ceasing from our work, that we would respect the limits you gave us as finite creatures and would enjoy the world you provided for us, taking in the goodness as you did on the seventh day, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

'Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work--you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.' - Ex. 20:8-11

A Lenten Collect to Serve God Before Ourselves

O Lord our God, whose glory is visible in every corner of your creation, keep us from using your name or your church for our own purposes, that we would honor you always and serve you and your people and so be rewarded by the real life that you offer, through Jesus Christ our redeemer, who set an example that we should follow and now lives with you and the Holy Spirit in perpetual joy and glory. Amen.

'You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.' - Ex. 20:7

A Lenten Collect to Devote Ourselves First of All to God

You who are God alone, who forged the pillars of the earth and set them in place, keep our hearts from worshipping and devoting themselves to anything above you, that we would seek first of all your ways and your kingdom and trust that you will satisfy all that we desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in joy forever and ever. Amen.

'You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.' - Ex. 20:4-6

A Lenten Collect for Devotion to God Alone

Lord God of Israel, who preserved your people and brought them out of bondage, show us where our hearts are devoted to things before you, that we might let go of those things and turn to you with our needs and our devotion and respect you as savior and true God of all things, through Jesus Christ our redeemer, who showed us the way to the Father through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.' - Ex. 20:2-3