confession: we are not looking

All:       You walk among us, O Lord, hoping we will see your face in the crowd. We confess that most of the time, we are not looking. And when we do look, we are afraid of what we see. We close our ears and laugh it off when you call our names. When we are too wrapped up in our own concerns to recognize you, forgive us. When we are too certain, and there is no room for your mystery, forgive us. When we have locked our doors, our minds, and our hearts, forgive us. Show us your face again, living God. Teach us to see, and to welcome you in. Amen. ~silence~

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, The Presbyterian Church of Palatine, IL