Let us pray together.

Lord Jesus, we rejoice in you, we delight in you, we worship you today and we thank you Lord.

Joined by our brothers and sisters throughout the world and through time you are making us one Body. And you did that by dying for our sins, being buried and rising again which we celebrate today–a new creation Body that we will one day share with you forever.

We’re so grateful Lord Jesus that you have done this and that you are still working today through the Spirit that you have poured out on us, on all flesh throughout the earth in order to bring about your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

And I pray today Lord, on behalf of all the saints that are gathered here on this call…

Lord, coronavirus has impacted all of us in different ways and in ways that can make us feel so discouraged at times and in ways that can feel hopeless, ways that can feel overwhelming and in ways that are just are just confusing, Lord, for what it means for the future.

And Lord Jesus we thank you that you know exactly what we are feeling, what we are thinking and what we are experiencing and you care so much. And we thank you Lord Jesus that today we remember that as much as the darkness tries to overcome, as much as death is a fear, you have overcome death, there is no sting to death any longer. And we will one day share with you in your Resurrection Life as we already taste it today.

Lord I pray that for each of us we can experience that hope of the Resurrection as so real and palpable that it overcomes all of the ways that we are distressed and makes us overflowing and abounding with gratitude towards you, with joy and with hope, Lord.

Because whatever does happen in the coming months, in the coming year, you are Sovereign. And you are turning everything for our good as we saw on the Cross as we saw on today—on Easter! You turn even the most horrendous death into the most beautiful, good thing any of us could ever experience and know.

So we thank you Lord, we worship you.

And we pray specifically Lord, for all of those who are suffering from covid-19.

We pray that you would heal them. We pray they would experience your miraculous healing. We pray for those who are serving them in the healthcare field, that they would be strengthened, Lord. That they would be encouraged, as we saw encouraging signs even this past week that social distancing is helping and that are hospitals not overwhelmed.

Lord we pray that you would strengthen them and that they would know that their work is not in vain. Lord we pray for our leaders who are making these very hard decisions when everything is politicized. Lord we pray that they may act with wisdom and in the fear of you and that they can use their power righteously to benefit everyone.

Father I also want to pray especially for the poor, those who have even less, who don’t have a place to stay, those who can’t really get medical care not only here in America but all around the world, Lord. We know that you are an advocate for the poor, you defend those who cannot defend themselves and so we pray that you would protect their health, that you would save their lives and that you would help those who are serving them, Lord, to also be safe and to continue their work. And we pray for us, your saints who are called by your name, who have experienced your generosity in our lives that we can be abundantly generous as well.

Lord, thank you.

Thank you for bringing us together on this Easter, even when we can’t be together, through this digital technology. Thank you that we can worship you together.

And I pray for that wisdom Lord, for the future of what you are doing in and through the Church, your Church, your Bride throughout the world. So we can use this technology, we can use the relationships that we have with one another to fulfill the Scriptures and your promise, Lord, that you are going to make all things new.

So Lord we rejoice in you, we thank you.

I lift all these requests to you in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

PS, for another brief Holy Week reflection from my perspective as a software engineer, check out this video.

This was a transcript of a prayer offered on April 12th, 2020 at Union Church.