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Easter Morning Prayer 2023
Post #2304001
Author: Robert Ott
Posted: April 27, 2023
The following is based on my Easter morning prayer.
I awoke at 5 a.m. and went through my morning ritual: turned off the house’s security alarm, unplugged the phones and iPad from their chargers, wound up the cords and put them away, got my coffee and headed into my study to read my Bible and write my prayer. It’s my special daily time of being alone with Jesus and inviting him in to self-introspection. There’s great comfort in this quiet predictability and it brings balance and strength to my soul.
But this morning is different. This is Easter. I thought about the fun we would have later in the day going to a family-dinner with friends. Looking forward to worshiping with others at church. Thankful for the blue sky, warm sunshine, the spring colors of green grass, purple buds on trees, and yellow flowers. I felt thoughtful and peaceful. I wanted to meditate on Jesus my Savior, my Redeemer. But in a short while a striking path began to unfold, a darker path filled my thoughts. I began to pray:
Good morning, Jesus.
You are alive! Brought back to life from death. You are alive! Every morning I greet you with the same salutation as I begin my prayer: “Good morning, Jesus.” I couldn’t say that if you were still dead. I can’t imagine what this world would be like if you were still dead. I strongly believe it would be chaos-evil-wicked-everyone doing what they pleased. No restraint on evil. Men and women would be like animals. I’m not even sure the earth and mankind would exist anymore. I would not be surprised if the Father would have destroyed it all by now. But, You Are Alive! And for that reason the earth and the world are still here today. Any good that exists today is because you are alive. After you were resurrected from death you sent your Holy Spirit to earth to live in every person who believes in you. The power of your Holy Spirit is holding back and restraining total evil and wickedness that the devil longs to unleash and inflict on all mankind.
Of course you knew that. After you were resurrected you told your disciples three times “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21, 26 NLT). In John 14:27 (NLT) you tell your disciples: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.”
- “Peace be with you” (John 20:19 NLT) - After the disciples deserted you on the day of your crucifixion, they may have expected words of rebuke or blame. Instead, you brought a word of reconciling peace.
- “Peace be with you” (John 20:21 NLT) - Perhaps the emphasis here was to calm their fear and shock in the moment. John 20:19 (NLT) says, “The disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Luke 24:36 (NKJV) says, “But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.”
- “Peace be with you” (John 20:26 NLT) - The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, you were standing among them. The locked doors of their meeting room possibly show that though they believed you were raised from the dead the powerful truth of that had not really permeated them completely.
Jesus, you faced and defeated all the forces which destroy mankind’s peace. As you said “Peace be with you,” you were doing infinitely more than just expressing a wish. You were making a declaration. You were giving a very special gift, a treasure that only you can give. And you do the same for us today:
- My sins are forgiven. Peace
- My slavery to sin is broken. Peace
- My Savior takes my fears and cares. Peace
- My life is settled for eternity. Peace
Without your resurrection, death would rule and bring unimaginable wickedness and pain. Absolutely no peace. Only you give the peace we long for. Only you Jesus.
May I be reminded of and focus on what you did when you came into the earthly world. May I never forget the horror you experienced for me at the hands of mankind! And there is only one reason. LOVE! That’s it. Nothing more. You LOVE me! So, you suffered and died for me. And your Holy Spirit brought you back to life for me. LOVE. There is no other reason.
Thank you, Jesus
Amen
