This is Monday of the week leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday called by many – Holy Week. Every day is holy, actually. Every day is a gift from God. We’ve never been more aware of that fact than during these days of the covid-19 virus outbreak in our country and around the world.
It is during times of danger and crisis that we somehow find ourselves focusing a bit more clearly on what really matters, what’s important to us, who’s around us that we appreciate and want to care for, and what makes this day of our lives meaningful. There’s never a better time to thank God for all that we have than during such times. Others before us, like the writer of this Psalm in the Bible, show us that it’s important to give thanks even when times are tough – when it’s a sacrifice to do so.
And so Gracious God, in this Holy Week that is very different for so many of us than at previous times, we come to You with thankful hearts. You are God. You are with us. You understand what is going on. You are responding to our cries for help. Even though there continues to be much sickness and death around us, there are also those who are getting well. We give thanks for the close to 300,000 individuals today who tested positive at one point and who have now been declared recovered. There are thousands of others who had less serious symptoms who were not tested and counted but who have also recovered. Thank You for your healing power evident in all of these cases.
We give thanks for all those who have remained free of symptoms, and even free of the virus and ask for their continued protection in the days going forward. We continue to ask Your protection on those who live in enclosed spaces like long term care facilities and prisons and those who care for them and support them. Keep them healthy and strong today and give them the comfort and strength they need to have a good day today.
We thank you for the signs of life that we see all around us in nature – the blossoms on many trees and new spring flowers. We rejoice to hear the song of so many different birds again. The spring moon coming full in a day or so is beautiful in the night sky. The wonder of animals coming out of hibernation reminds us of the amazing plans that you have in place to care for all of creation.
In this Holy Week we most deeply give thanks for the life, death, and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Through Him we have the life that You always intended for us – a life we can enjoy with You in this life and the next. Help us to honor You in these days and going forward as God our Creator, God our Saviour, and God our Sustainer.
With King David who wrote Psalm 51 we pray:
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12 NIV
And even though these are days filled with suffering and death across the planet – not only from the cofid-19 virus but also from all the other diseases and accidents and aging – we give thanks that You are not a God who wanders off and leaves us to face difficulties on our own but You are the God who stays with us. We give thanks and praise to You God,
You use even the things that are difficult for us and turn them around for good. We don’t like having to face the challenging things but with You not only can we rise above these painful realities but we can also become stronger and become better people who have more compassion and care better for others.
And so, like Jesus who faced the knowledge that there were difficult days ahead and still have thanks and praise to You, so we lift our hearts to you with gratitude and commit ourselves to following Your path for us in these days where we all seem to walk in the valley of the shadow of death. We trust You and so with King David once again we affirm:
It is during times of danger and crisis that we somehow find ourselves focusing a bit more clearly on what really matters, what’s important to us, who’s around us that we appreciate and want to care for, and what makes this day of our lives meaningful. There’s never a better time to thank God for all that we have than during such times. Others before us, like the writer of this Psalm in the Bible, show us that it’s important to give thanks even when times are tough – when it’s a sacrifice to do so.
And so Gracious God, in this Holy Week that is very different for so many of us than at previous times, we come to You with thankful hearts. You are God. You are with us. You understand what is going on. You are responding to our cries for help. Even though there continues to be much sickness and death around us, there are also those who are getting well. We give thanks for the close to 300,000 individuals today who tested positive at one point and who have now been declared recovered. There are thousands of others who had less serious symptoms who were not tested and counted but who have also recovered. Thank You for your healing power evident in all of these cases.
We give thanks for all those who have remained free of symptoms, and even free of the virus and ask for their continued protection in the days going forward. We continue to ask Your protection on those who live in enclosed spaces like long term care facilities and prisons and those who care for them and support them. Keep them healthy and strong today and give them the comfort and strength they need to have a good day today.
We thank you for the signs of life that we see all around us in nature – the blossoms on many trees and new spring flowers. We rejoice to hear the song of so many different birds again. The spring moon coming full in a day or so is beautiful in the night sky. The wonder of animals coming out of hibernation reminds us of the amazing plans that you have in place to care for all of creation.
In this Holy Week we most deeply give thanks for the life, death, and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Through Him we have the life that You always intended for us – a life we can enjoy with You in this life and the next. Help us to honor You in these days and going forward as God our Creator, God our Saviour, and God our Sustainer.
With King David who wrote Psalm 51 we pray:
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12 NIV
And even though these are days filled with suffering and death across the planet – not only from the cofid-19 virus but also from all the other diseases and accidents and aging – we give thanks that You are not a God who wanders off and leaves us to face difficulties on our own but You are the God who stays with us. We give thanks and praise to You God,
You use even the things that are difficult for us and turn them around for good. We don’t like having to face the challenging things but with You not only can we rise above these painful realities but we can also become stronger and become better people who have more compassion and care better for others.
And so, like Jesus who faced the knowledge that there were difficult days ahead and still have thanks and praise to You, so we lift our hearts to you with gratitude and commit ourselves to following Your path for us in these days where we all seem to walk in the valley of the shadow of death. We trust You and so with King David once again we affirm:
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