OT 13

Lord and God,

Who shall dwell on your holy hill but he who walks blamelessly and does what is right. As kings sought to inflict their will on your people above and against your will, so we would justify ourselves. We reach for the purifying flame in your temple only to make ourselves sick and unclean.

Father, save us from the way that leads to death. The more we reach for you, to take holy blessings from you, the further we fall. Yet, when we turn to Christ, we see also a way of death—that we meet him in his death in baptism, to be raised by your hand, not our own. Give us faith to trust and await you in this death whose and is eternal life through the holiness of Christ. We lay down the wages of death; help us to stand and walk in the way everlasting, by your free gift in Christ.