The Weekly Encourager – May 1, 2020 – A Prayer for Our Time

This prayer is adapted from one given by Pastor Rob Yancey. 

Majestic and Merciful Father, 

We come in the name of your son and our risen savior Jesus Christ. We remember that it was early on that Resurrection morning, that an angel’s voice in a guarded graveyard and empty cloths lying in a vacant tomb proved that your son had come back. Open our eyes this day to help us see that he had come back to those, and for those, who had forgotten, denied, and destroyed him.

We pray that our deep and abiding peace would come from knowing and understanding that Christ has risen from the dead and in doing so he has defeated our great enemies of death, Satan, and sin.

Father, instead of gathering together in church buildings to worship, we are now gathered around TVs, and computers, and cell phones. With all the uncertainties brought about by this current pandemic, would you impress upon our souls the certainty of our savior’s great power and extravagant grace. When it comes to the challenges we face with this virus, bring healing to those who are sick, give peace to those who are anxious, provide resources for those who have lost jobs or income, protect those who are vulnerable and those who bring help and healing.

We weep with those who weep. Some in Christ’s family of faith have lost loved ones in this pandemic. In a real and palpable way remind them this day, that for those who are united to Christ, death has lost its sting and the grave has been vanquished.

We rejoice with those who rejoice. We praise you for new births and we thank you for our older children. We ask that you would give strength and rest to the parents of young children, patience and wisdom to the parents of older children, and skill and creativity to teachers doing online instruction.

As we remember the Light of the World that has overcome the darkness, may we find hope for our lives: hope for broken relationships, hope for our struggles with sin, hope for our battles with sickness or mental illness, hope that comes from knowing that because of the resurrection, sin’s power and penalty have been broken, and relationships that seem beyond repair can be restored by your power and grace.

And Father would the knowledge and understanding of the resurrection not be something that we keep to ourselves. Work in and through us that we might share the Easter message – this good news – to our neighbors and co-workers, to our city and to the uttermost part of the earth.

And since we have received such extravagant and costly mercy, help us to extend mercy to those in need around us. Help us to be those who stand for the marginalized, care for the orphan, serve those who are needy in our midst. Make us a radically generous people.

God would you be honored as we celebrate the fact that our king has risen, our hope is here, and in his name – the name of Jesus – we pray all these things.

Amen.

This prayer is adapted from one given by Pastor Rob Yancey on Easter Sunday 2020. Used by permission.