A Prayer for Holy Week

Happy Holy Week! I’m grateful that we can spend this week slowing down and celebrating our God. Whether you’re immersing yourself in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection for the first or 90th time this week, I hope that the big, powerful moments in the Gospel continue to transform your heart. At the same time, I also hope that little details you’ve never noticed before lead you to fall more in love with Jesus. 

I hope that when you read about Palm Sunday in Luke 19, you notice that Jesus was the first to ever mount the colt He rode into Jerusalem, just as He was the unprecedented pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Luke 19:30; Hebrews 12:2). I hope you notice that when Jesus told the disciples “I have fervently desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer,” He embraced His ultimate desire–not just to fulfill prophecies and create a cool metaphor, but to be with us, fellowshipping, loving us as we love and praise Him (Luke 22:15). And I hope you’ll find relief when you read that Jesus knew Peter would deny Him three times and fail, and yet Jesus still prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail (Luke 22:32). Jesus offers that same patience and grace to us today.

God is in the big things, like defeating sin and death forever. He is also in the details. This Holy Week, may those little moments, too, reveal just how far, wide, and deep His love really is.

Let’s pray for our Holy Week together. 

Holy God,

Father, Son, and Spirit,

we are in awe of your goodness. 

Thank you that before time began, 

You set Christ’s life into motion,

and changed us, 

redeemed us, 

restored us, forever. 

We praise you for going before us. 

For sitting first on the colt’s back, 

interceding on our behalf, 

living by your fervent desire to eat and be with us. 

This week, may we remember you. 

We praise you for teaching us faithfulness: 

to pray against temptation, 

strengthen our brothers and sisters,

and honor the Father’s will above our own. 

May we too entrust our lives to the Father’s hands. 

We praise you for being Light in dark places. 

When you hung between two criminals, 

You promised paradise, 

not peril. 

And when darkness threatened the land, 

You offered costly, pure, forgiveness.

Our salvation.

Through Your sacrifice, may we find everlasting life. 

We praise you for resurrection joy! 

Thank you for breaking bread with us, 

declaring peace to us, 

and sending Your Spirit.

This resurrection morning, may we find ourselves with your church– 

praising You, 

bearing witness to the truth, 

and reveling in a Love like no other. 

And when Sunday dinner is all cleaned up, 

the pastel eggs hunted 

and the chocolate wrappers thrown away, 

May Your praise linger in our hearts for a lifetime longer. 

May it be our delight to spend our days breaking bread with you, O God, 

now and forever. 

Amen. 

How are you celebrating Jesus this week? I’d love to hear in the comments. :)