Morning Prayer

This morning, as I walked through the church building, and into the Sanctuary - considering all of the planning, praying, and preparing that has gone into our celebration - I began to pray;

"God, I just want everything to be perfect..."

At that moment I was reminded that this may have been the very prayer of the Jewish religious leaders on the weekend that Jesus was crucified. 

The Jewish religious leaders had planned, prayed, and prepared for the celebration of Passover. Knowing that large crowds were entering the city, they watched as Jesus entered Jerusalem upon the back of a donkey, and a colt. As He entered the city they told Him to quiet the people - to quiet His followers - who were crying out "Hosanna". 

The next day Jesus entered the Synagogue and drove out money changers and those who were making a spectacle out of God's House - some of which were these Jewish religious leaders.

Now angry at Jesus and jealous of the attention that He was receiving, the Jewish religious leaders gave one of Jesus' followers a bride - 30 pieces of silver - for the knowledge of His whereabouts. Not only did they detain Jesus, they flogged Him, stripped Him naked, and hung Him on a Roman cross - hurling insults at Him as He hung suffocating to death. 

All the while they prayed;

"God, I just want everything to be perfect..."

And so, this morning, as I prepare to worship the Lord - who was not overcome by man - who did not stay dead in a tomb - who cannot have His plan thwarted - my prayer is;

"God, may Your will be done. If I have failed to prepare in any way for Your presence, make that aware to me. Then, after I have done everything that You have called me to do this morning, give me the wisdom and the ability to step out of the way and point to You, Jesus. God, may Your will be done."