An Easter Prayer

An Easter prayer (appropriate for a lunchtime celebration):

Father, we joyfully celebrate the coming-back-to-life of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!

As we think of the Suffering Week just concluded, and the events surrounding the Passion of the Christ, the torturous murder of this Most Innocent Man who came from heaven:

Our hearts are overwhelmed at your love for us. Overwhelmed that you would give him up for us; for a bunch who didn’t deserve such favor-we-couldn’t-earn. And really, would any of us give up one of our children for someone else to live? I could maybe give up myself, but give up my own child? Honestly, I don’t think so! But you gave your Son over to death, so that we may live.

We think of those around us today who long for a list of things:

A full and abundant life

A home in heaven with you

Answers to problems that don’t seem to have answers

Provision that doesn’t seem to be forthcoming

Joy in their homes

Peace in their relationships

Guidance in their work

Meaning and purpose in life

Hearing your voice, which seems either muffled or

silent, or at least, too slow in coming

…We pause, and silently call out the names before you of those who come to mind…

May they know that our Resurrected Lord is a very present help,

and because He lives, He is able to provide. Provide without limits.

You provide all we need—including this scrumptious feast before us, for which we now give sincere and deep thanks!—right in line with what You have done from the moment of our conception, and You will continue to do so,

until our bodies no longer work, and we experience the grave, like You did,

and then see face to face our resurrected Lord, the One we read about in the resurrection stories of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

and we live in unbroken fellowship forever, with You, and with Your people.

We think of the words of the apostle Paul: “This mortal body will put on immortality…Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?” It’s all swallowed up, powerless in the long run.

Jesus, our Lord, we grieve that you had to go through such pain in order to provide for us. We are deeply sorry, and eternally grateful.

We are people of the resurrection! And in this, we shout, dance a jig, clap our hands, and bow our heads silently, and we simply say to you, our God, thank you!

Jesus, the Resurrected One, we thank you! We look ahead to that great day when we will join you in the eternal resurrection!

There we will see you face to face, and know you as you are fully known! And live with you for ever and ever.

Hallelujah!