My prayer for everyone this Easter.

Our most gracious Heavenly Father;

The Lord, the Lord God Almighty,

You spoke and so created the Heavens and the Earth, and the world and the cosmos in which we live are Yours.

You made Man in your own image, and you walked and talked with him.

You saw that all that You had made was very good.

Adam and Eve who communed with You were tempted and yielded, and committed sin because they did not obey You.

So Your creation was spoiled and mankind continued to sin, and You were grieved.

But You had already planned a rescue for mankind, even before the temptation.

And the Saviour Jesus Christ came to our fallen world, obedient to the Father and living a sinless life, a life pleasing to God.

He went about doing good and was reviled for it. He was tempted often but rebuked Satan and did what was pleasing to His Father.

He was unjustly accused by His own people. He suffered abuse and afflictions because He loved us, all those living before us, and all those yet to live after us.

He was put to death on a cross as a cursed criminal and God turned away from Him because he carried our sin in His body.

He descended into Hell and suffered because of our wrongdoing, in ways we cannot comprehend.

Triumphant, He rose from the grave on the third day and was seen by many.

He ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God, His Father, and He has promised to come a second time, this time to reclaim His own.

Because Jesus died for us we can receive salvation by repenting of our evil ways and asking for Jesus to live within us, and He will be our Wonderful Counsellor before God at the time of judgement.

Gracious Lord, at this Easter time we give You thanks for your atoning sacrifice, and we seek your forgiveness for our sins.

We would pray as You taught us ……

Our Father, which art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory
For ever and ever

Amen