A Holy Week Prayer

Lord Jesus, we started this journey with you six weeks ago and we have finally arrived here in Jerusalem. Now we know why you wanted us to go and find a donkey for you. You wanted to enter the city not as a conquering ruler but as a humble king. 

But even now, we wonder what this will achieve. Sure, people have been waving their palm branches because they’re so desperate for someone who will overthrow the Romans. But where are the weapons? What is your plan for victory?

You are silent. You simply call us to be faithful and to trust you. Have we told you how difficult that is to do in a world that relies on brute force and strength? 

You call us to be faithful and to trust you, but sooner or later, your plan is only going to lead to defeat. Everything that we have seen you do along our journey with you; the healings and your hopeful teachings about how God’s kingdom is at hand, all of that will end if we don’t do something. And yet, all you say to us, is to remain faithful and to keep trusting you. 

Lord Jesus, you have been teaching us during these past several weeks to be your hope-filled, generous, worshipful, grace-filled, and Jesus-centered disciples, but this week’s focus on being faithful and servant-like, might be the most challenging of them all! We love you! We see what’s coming! You have enemies! Can’t you see that if you’re not prepared to fight, you’ll probably be arrested and maybe even crucified?

O Lord, even with all of these fears this week, we will do our best to remain faithful to you. Lead us to be your faithful disciples who follow your ways rather than the ways of the world, like waving palm branches instead of flags, like finding a donkey instead of a horse, like coming empty handed rather than carrying swords. 

Lord Jesus, we confess that we do not always understand your ways and even though we still aren’t sure of what will happen to you and to us this week, continue to lead us to be your faithful disciples. Amen.