A Prayer about Our Need for Cleansing

‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.’ Isaiah 1:18

Forgiving Lord,

It’s easy to read about the sins of Judah 

back in the days of the evil kings 

and think, “Oh, we’re not like that!”

I mean, after all, we’re not like Sodom, 

who mixed their worship with pagan worship (Isaiah 1:10-11). 

(Or are we?). 

Our hands are not “full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). 

(Or, are they?)

To Judah, you commanded, 

“Cease to do evil, learn to do good; 

seek justice, correct oppression; 

bring justice to the fatherless, 

plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:16-17). 

Do we recognize our own sins

in your calling to seek justice 

and to correct oppression? 

Lord, by your Spirit, 

show us just how dark 

our sinful hearts can be 

so that we can fully rejoice 

in how bright and healing 

your forgiveness of our sins is. 

Show us how bloody our hands can be

so that we can see how fully 

you have cleansed us, 

like an ink-stained sheet bleached white. 

With gratitude for your forgiveness, 

may we move into this broken world 

with your redeeming love. 

In Jesus’ cleansing name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 1:1-20.