Thirty Nine: A Good Friday Prayer

 

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’  A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.   When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19:28-30 (NRSV)

There are many beautiful Good Friday prayers.  Below is one of the them. 

Lifted Up 

Good Friday Prayer

John 3:14

Our God,

Lift our eyes, we pray, from present distress to the promised presence.

Lift our voices in weeping, not for ourselves and our complaints but for those whose hunger and thirst are not yet satisfied.

Lift our hearts from preoccupation with great and marvelous things into the quiet confidence of a child at its mother’s breast.

Lift our hands from binding work and leisure into the freedom of praise.

Lift us with your healing touch from our feverish pace into ministering service.

Failing this, God, we will not wee the one they lifted up in scorn, the one you lift up in love for us.

Amen.

Written by Mary Mae Swartzentruber,1989.