Our Father God,
of all the ways you have given us to understand your care for us--

perhaps none is as troubling as
God the King

Even we your church,
[who have committed to risking all to follow your rule ]
prefer autonomy,
though your loving decrees are at our fingertips
We are your citizen ambassadors
yet we tend to mistrust kings
preferring ideologies, democracies, bureaucracies
instead of total power

We worry about bloodshed and oppression caused by kings,
and you are a God of bloodshed -
even Jesus spoke of presiding over
the slaughter of those who resist his rule

If you were not righteous
we would be just to resist your rule
even if this world were rightfully yours

But we see that our sins, our rebellion
the rebellion of the devil, and the curse
have polluted the world with great ills and injustices
and that the world you made
will only be restored
through your righteous judgment and loving rule
not ours.

Help us come to grips with your loving kingship.
Help us, like Christ, humble ourselves
in your mission of mercy,
sacrificing our interests
in love, generosity, and gospel witness
to grow that future multitude
which will celebrate your power and love
in the heavenly kingdom

Without your grace,
we are corrupt ambassadors.
Correct and guide us in love and truth
and we will praise you,
our chief hope in a troubled world,
even as we struggle to understand and accept you,
now, and forever, Amen.