Michael,
I'm sorry, I do not remember if you and your wife are Catholic, Protestant or what...so I'm going to give you a few options, okay?
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Catholic:
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.
- St. Francis of Assisi
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Protestant:
God of hope and safety, like sheep who go astray, we have wandered from your paths of life and light. We have heard the Shepherd's voice calling us by name, but we have turned instead to our own way. Show us your tender mercy; restore us in the security of your fold. Lead us back to still waters, seat us again at your bounteous table. Fill us with your Spirit, that we might bear glad witness to your saving mercy, revealed to us in the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Source: Call to Worship: Liturgy, Music, Preaching and the Arts 2003, Office of Theology and Worship, PC(USA) and Geneva Press
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A Contrite Sinner's Prayer for Pardon:
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in thy sight; That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; And in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; And my tongue shall sing aloud of they righteousness.
O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then wilt thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, In burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering: Then will they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Psalms 51: 1-19 | Source: The Bible (American Standard Version
BTW, this is the prayer of David, confessing his sin of adultery with Bathsheba.
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Judaism:
Guard me, O Lord, from brooding over the sin I have committed: let not my thoughts sink into the mire of my wrongdoing, but free them to offer Thee the pearl of good deeds.
If I have done much evil, grant that I may balance it by doing much good. Help me to hurry over the prayer "For my sin," and to meditate with joy and thankfulness, on the prayer "Thou, O Lord, shall reign."
Jewish, Hasidic
source: The Sanctuary
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Christian Forgiveness:
Dear Father God,
I know that I've done wrong through my thoughts, my actions, and the things that I've said, sometimes by mistake and sometimes on purpose. I have gone my own way and not put you at the center of my life. I am very sorry and ask that you please forgive me. I thank you that I can ask you this because I truly believe that your Son, Jesus, died in my place and, through Him, I have access to you. Please help me to follow you more closely every day and live a life which gives glory back to you. I pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Source: Based on the Order Of Holy Communion - Section 7 ASB 1980
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Hope that's enough to get you started. Like SS, I mostly pray "from the heart" but sometimes it's easier to have some words...
You're in my thoughts and prayers,
CJ
