A United Methodist Pastor's Theological Reflections

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (nikos) through our Lord Jesus Christ." - I Corinthians 15:57


Monday, March 26, 2018

Pastoral Prayer (March 25/Palm Sunday) @ Athens First UMC



[One of our youth turned his palm branch into a beautiful interwoven tapestry during yesterday’s worship service. As we enter into Holy Week, we are reminded of how God was able to take all of the events of this week like the arrest, the mocking, and the crucifixion of Jesus and turn it into a beautiful resurrection victory. As we await the celebration of Easter, click here for the Palm Sunday cantata narration and reflection questions.]


Giving and gracious God, thank you for the cantata we just heard that tells the story of how Jesus gave his all for us, even death on a cross. But we know that there is one more song to be sung from this cantata.

It’s the last anthem that we have saved for next Sunday. It’s a song about the living robe of Jesus. The robe that reminds us that death doesn’t have the last word.

Even as we wait for our great Easter celebration next Sunday, help us to soak in all that you did for us as you met with your disciples in the Upper Room, when you suffered and died on a cross, and then when you were placed in a tomb. Help us to survey your wondrous cross on which the prince of glory died.

Lead us to think about what it means to continue to touch Jesus’ shining robe, his healing robe, his serving robe, his uniting robe, his honoring robe, his redeeming robe, and most importantly, his living robe. Thank you for this season of Lent journey to help us be the people you have called us to be.

Lord, on this Palm Sunday, we lift our palm branches to worship you and to pray on behalf of our community and world. We lift up to you our church family especially those who are in special need of you this day. We lift up to you our Bishop and District Superintendent that you would bless them in the work they do on our behalf. We lift up to our neighboring churches and especially the Presbyterian Church as they host our community Good Friday service this week. 

And Lord, we silently lift up to you those who are on our hearts and minds this morning. Hear our prayers…

And now teach us to pray the words that Christ taught his disciples and now teaches us to pray together saying…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…

No comments: