Congregational Excellence Prayer Team [link removed] April 2021
Resurrection was the last thing on their minds. It was evening of that first Easter day, and the disciples had gathered in a secret, out-of-the-way place. The doors were closed and tightly locked – and for good reason. They were scared for their lives.

They were now fugitives sought by the Jewish authorities for their association with this Jesus who was crucified. For anyone who had known these disciples just one week earlier, that room was a pitiful sight. In my mind’s eye, I can see one of the disciples off in the corner, quietly sobbing over his Master’s death. Others stood in shock—staring off into space.

Some likely rehearsed the events of the last couple of weeks in anger and disbelief. “He didn’t have to go to Jerusalem,” they all agreed. “We told him not to go. We begged him not to. We knew they’d be waiting there for him – and so did he. Why did he go? Why did this happen?”

Amid all this fear and grief and loss, Jesus came. He stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” It took a moment, but suddenly they recognized him. They were amazed and overjoyed! “How could this be?” It was too good to be true, yet there he was, alive but somehow different. After they calmed down a bit, Jesus charged them to go out among the people to offer his forgiving love. He then breathed on them the Holy Spirit.

Like the first disciples, we have been through a lot of loss over the past year. Some has struck so deep: it’s left us stunned and speechless. Yet out of the shadows of our tombs, Easter brings the sure hope that we won’t be stuck in our grief forever. “Weeping may linger for the night,” as the Psalmist says, “but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5 NRSV).

I recently ran across a journal entry of a mother who became overwhelmed with grief at the loss of her adult son four years earlier from natural causes. Although she had already grieved deeply, while on a retreat, the pain of her son’s death resurfaced with force. Not knowing what else to do, she took her grief to God.

I sense that the Lord is asking me if I could let go of my grief. I reply that I think I could if only He could show me my son, if only I could see him. Almost immediately my son seems to appear in front of me. He is so beautiful, filled with light. He is translucent, not transparent – shinning, love seems to be primary. He is filled with Love, emanating Love, radiating Love. I came to understand that all that remains is love. When the Lord looks at us, just as when I look at my son, all that he sees is Love…everything else in irrelevant, not important. Love is the only thing that lasts. When I think of him now, I smile. I am much more at peace, consoled, even joyful.

There has been such great loss on so many levels over this past year. If you are like me, you may have wondered at times how you would endure. But Easter proves that death is not the last word – not even close.

Love conquers all. And that love has a name:-Jesus.

Happy Easter!
Roger Ross
P.S. For encouragement, you can receive a weekly Prayer Text by texting KINGDOM to 573-227-6557.
As our country and world continue to battle COVID-19, we are painfully aware of the racial and ethnic injustices that plague our national character. We have much to bring before God.
Feel free to pray for a different area each day. Thanks for praying!

SUNDAY: HOPE- Pray for Resurrection power to release the Spirit of forgiveness to heal spiritual, relational, and cultural divisions across our nation and world. Lord, multiply your Kingdom through us.
MONDAY: PEACE- Ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to live with a heart at peace. Enable us, Lord, to see the good in persons or groups we might consider enemies, to pray for those who insult or persecute us, and to forgive those who harm us unfairly, just as you have forgiven us. Forgive us our sins, Lord, as we forgive those who sin against us.
TUESDAY: AWAKENING- Sow in prayer the seeds for a Great Awakening in our churches, communities and nation. Ask the Spirit of Truth to help us see new ways of being and doing that transform individuals, churches and communities across Missouri.
WEDNESDAY: JUSTICE- Pray for justice to roll down like waters and right living like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24), so we may repent of racism and overcome the evil powers of this world with good.
THURSDAY: NEW PLACES- Hold before the Lord the 2021 Planting Academy participants who meet as a large group once a month (the third Tuesday), in small group cohorts twice a month, and in one-on-one coaching once a month. Pray for each person to discern God’s big dream for the new place for new people he or she will start.
FRIDAY: HEALING- Claim the blood of Jesus as a shield and healing over people and institutions as well as all first responders and medical personnel in the battle against COVID-19. Please seek God for full healing for the several UM pastors and laypersons in Missouri who still battle with COVID.
SATURDAY: PROTECTION- Praise God for researchers who have developed effective, affordable, and safe COVID-19 vaccines! Pray for hundreds of millions of people to be vaccinated quickly and safely.



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Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
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