My Prayer coming into the Easter Weekend...
"God, may you quiet our hearts filled with the noise of our cluttered lives. We want to be able to concentrate and celebrate your life and death this weekend and it's so hard to do that when we're distracted with ourselves and the drama that often surrounds us. This is the first miracle I ask for...readied hearts.
I pray that you would hover over every home in our community and mysteriously draw them to think about you, to wonder about Easter and the name, Jesus. I ask for you to use signs and wonders, social media and conversations, commercials and billboards, memories of old and desires anew, dreams in the night or daydreams in the waking hours, invitations from friends and reflections of introspection, whispers of the soul in search of something more. Harness current disruption or disturbance that they've been experiencing to make them wonder if this is the year to attend an Easter experience. Help them to see their blessings and notice afresh the source of each good gift in their life. Soften and open hearts to be stirred, curious to know the claims of Christ and Christianity. This is the second miracle I ask for...responsive hearts.
I ask that you would resuscitate to new life the many who already know you. So many have grown accustomed to your sacrifice and salvation, entering this season with a casual and callused religiosity. Break down the high and thick walls of spiritual stupor that deaden our nerve endings to feel and see and hear all that you long for us to experience. I ask you to provoke new thoughts and evoke new emotions concerning your death and resurrection. Surprise the saints; shock the faithful. Grab ahold of their hearts and revive them with the power of the gospel. Raise your church from the dead, Lord. This is the third miracle I ask for...revived hearts.
Lastly, I cry out for the last, the least, and the lost in our community that will brave the storms of excuses and rationalizations and fight through them to get to church this weekend. May you reward their courage with your comforting power. May they feel welcome and at home in every church, guards down...heart relaxed. I don't ask for you to crash into them with an invasion that might scare them away, but to gently speak to their heart in a language they alone understand and nudge their spirit with a touch that their senses feel strangely moved by. By the end of the service, would you cause them to be on the edge of their seat eagerly listening with bated breath for the opportunity to receive your gift of salvation? Would you be so kind to do this? I ask for a harvest of hearts that will accept your invitation to follow you this weekend. This is the fourth and final miracle I ask for...redeemed hearts.
Each of these are miracles and I realize that I'm not worthy in and of myself to ask such things of You. But this isn't about me. This is for Your sake and the sake of the world. I beg of you to hear my humble plea for humanity today. We need a fresh encounter with you this Easter and nothing less will satisfy my hungry heart, Lord. I dispatch you to do what only you can and stand at your disposal to do my part in sharing your truth with those you put in my path. I'm yours, Lord, use me.
In Jesus name, Amen."
I pray that you would hover over every home in our community and mysteriously draw them to think about you, to wonder about Easter and the name, Jesus. I ask for you to use signs and wonders, social media and conversations, commercials and billboards, memories of old and desires anew, dreams in the night or daydreams in the waking hours, invitations from friends and reflections of introspection, whispers of the soul in search of something more. Harness current disruption or disturbance that they've been experiencing to make them wonder if this is the year to attend an Easter experience. Help them to see their blessings and notice afresh the source of each good gift in their life. Soften and open hearts to be stirred, curious to know the claims of Christ and Christianity. This is the second miracle I ask for...responsive hearts.
I ask that you would resuscitate to new life the many who already know you. So many have grown accustomed to your sacrifice and salvation, entering this season with a casual and callused religiosity. Break down the high and thick walls of spiritual stupor that deaden our nerve endings to feel and see and hear all that you long for us to experience. I ask you to provoke new thoughts and evoke new emotions concerning your death and resurrection. Surprise the saints; shock the faithful. Grab ahold of their hearts and revive them with the power of the gospel. Raise your church from the dead, Lord. This is the third miracle I ask for...revived hearts.
Lastly, I cry out for the last, the least, and the lost in our community that will brave the storms of excuses and rationalizations and fight through them to get to church this weekend. May you reward their courage with your comforting power. May they feel welcome and at home in every church, guards down...heart relaxed. I don't ask for you to crash into them with an invasion that might scare them away, but to gently speak to their heart in a language they alone understand and nudge their spirit with a touch that their senses feel strangely moved by. By the end of the service, would you cause them to be on the edge of their seat eagerly listening with bated breath for the opportunity to receive your gift of salvation? Would you be so kind to do this? I ask for a harvest of hearts that will accept your invitation to follow you this weekend. This is the fourth and final miracle I ask for...redeemed hearts.
Each of these are miracles and I realize that I'm not worthy in and of myself to ask such things of You. But this isn't about me. This is for Your sake and the sake of the world. I beg of you to hear my humble plea for humanity today. We need a fresh encounter with you this Easter and nothing less will satisfy my hungry heart, Lord. I dispatch you to do what only you can and stand at your disposal to do my part in sharing your truth with those you put in my path. I'm yours, Lord, use me.
In Jesus name, Amen."
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