Mar 25 – This week’s prayers focus on Easter.
Father, we praise You for Your miracle of love by which You used the death of Jesus on the cross to set us free from the curse of sin. The place of defeat has become the place of victory.
In the humiliation of one Man – we are confronted by Your glory; where life was lost we find eternal life.
We praise You for this assurance in a violent world: that love will triumph; and we ask for Your Spirit’s power, so that we may not be tempted to sacrifice love to ambition and goodness to success, but may share the humility of Jesus, for the sake of all humanity, and the honour of Your name. Amen.
From ‘New Prayers for Worship’, © 1972 Alan Gaunt
Mar 26 – Come, all who are thirsty says Jesus, our Lord, come, all who are weak, taste the living water that I shall give. Dip your hands in the stream, refresh body and soul, drink from it, depend on it, for this water will never run dry. Come, all who are thirsty says Jesus, our Lord. Amen and Amen
From www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Lent.htm
Mar 27 – Holy Spirit teach us when Your word we read; shine upon its pages with the light we need.
Holy Spirit, prompt us when we kneel to pray; nearer come and teach us what we ought to say.
Holy Spirit, give us each a lowly mind; make us more like Jesus, gentle, pure and fully committed to the Father’s will. Amen.
By William H Parker (1845 – 1929)
Mar 28 – O Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who with the Father and the Son abides one God, descend this day into our hearts, that while You make intercession for us, we may with full confidence call upon our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Mozarabic Sacramentary.
Mar 29 – Jesus, Lamb of God, when You walked this earth You did not consider heavenly equality, though that was Yours to choose, but took the role of servant, and in humility and obedience allowed the rough nails of our sin to be hammered into Your flesh for the sake of our salvation.
And so it is that we acknowledge You as Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father, Son and Spirit. Amen.
By John Birch www.faithandworship.com
Mar 30 – Father, You chose a people for Your own, to lavish love upon, raise us up as spiritual warriors, a church through which the Messiah is revealed to the world, and through whom Your kingdom would come.
You chose this people gathered to be Your children, loved and blessed, forgiven through the One who knew no sin, the King of Glory whose crown was made of thorns, and whose name we raise in worship. Amen
From www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Lent.htm
Mar 31 – Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won!
Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb! Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life; life is nought without thee, aid us in our strife; make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love.
By Edmund Budry (l854 1932), translated by Richard Hoyle (1875 1939).
The following, Spring (c). By Esther Burke, was written about ‘how thirty one years ago I cried out to the Lord and He heard the sinner’s cry – ‘Praise His Holy Name!’
‘Deep down inside of me an important part of me had been lying in hibernation. Continually it had slept for forty years, yet I thought I was wholly alive. Watching my dear mother slowly dying began the first sign of a thaw. Just as the snowdrops and daffodils peeped their heads above the ground. I got down on my knees with tears flowing down my face I prayed.’
‘Prayer stirred the awakening of my soul to its first love. Peace like the spring sunshine replaced my fear. Death was no longer shrouded in winter darkness. The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The dawn of Easter Morning sheds its eternal light.’
‘The flowers upon the earth appear, the time of singing birds has come. The Good Shepherd has laid down His life for His sheep. My soul, like the young spring lamb, skips at the call, ‘Christ Is Risen, Is Risen Indeed.’ God’s love bursts forth in my heart, and the shadows of emptiness flee away.’ Amen.
