Devotional for Easter Day

(Mary Magdalene announces the resurrection of Jesus to the disciples. 12th century manuscript, St Godehard's Church, Hildesheim, Germany).

A Prayer for Easter
We thank you, O Lord, for Easter: for the ways it kindles our awareness of who Jesus was and what he was about; of who you are and what you are about; of who we are and what we are about. In Jesus your character and our destiny were joined, and you promised that his work would not end with his death. And You kept your promise. Not only did the apostles take you at your word, they took your word to the world.

When we compare our faith with theirs, O God, we are humbled. They were bold; we are timid. They turned the crucifixion into a model for discipleship; we turn discipleship into an alternative to crucifixion. They interpreted Easter as a summons to choose between divine and human rule, we interpret Easter as a divine sanction on human rule. They received the resurrection as a call for radical decision; we receive it as proof of our ultimate security. They identified the suffering servant with the Risen Lord; we glorify the risen Lord at the expense of the suffering servant.

Forgive us, O God, for separating Good Friday from Easter; for believing that, because our Lord's Easter lay behind us, no Golgotha lies before us; for supposing that, because he risked everything, we need not risk anything. Forgive us, above all, for thinking that, because we praise him loudly, we need not follow him closely.

We acknowledge, O God, that our divorce of Easter from Good Friday has done us no good and others much harm. Help us to proclaim the oneness of the empty tomb and the cross, to narrow the gap between our confession and our conduct. Empower us so to live that our works will confirm the words of our Lord about true greatness. Send us into the world, as you sent him into the world, to become the victorious servants of all.

We dare to ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

The Rev. Wayne Jack Plumstead, Senior Pastor
Park United Methodist Church Bloomfield, NJ