Almighty, Merciful God
Praise you, O Lord, for you are the God who hears the cries of your people.
Praise you, O Father, for you are the God who does not despise us in our afflictions.
We praise you today because you are the God who does not turn away from our needs.
We praise you because you are the God who sees and hears and acts – you are the Living God.
Help us to trust you when we are in need. Help us to seek you when we are afflicted. Help us to turn to you and seek your face. Help us to know that our deepest need, our most pressing affliction – our sin, finds its remedy in the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, who gave himself for us. In his name we pray, Amen.