A prayer for the salvation of all men...

ClearNote Church of Bloomington holds both an evening service on Maundy Thursday and a noon service on Good Friday. Here's one of the prayers from our Good Friday service. Jody Killingsworth compiled it from historic sources and I post it here because I found it struck themes missing from our prayers in worship, and very necessary. I'm guessing this will be true of others, also.

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O MERCIFUL God, You have made all men, and You hate nothing that You have made, nor do you desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Have mercy therefore, we pray, on all who reject the Gospel—on Pagans, and Atheists; on Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists; on Arians and Roman Catholics, and on all who, in their pride, like to make much of their own ability.

Knowing, Father, that You resist the proud but give grace to the humble, we ask that You...

grant the gift of humility to these people. Cause them to see their depravity, as You have allowed us to see our own, and lead them to repentance through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our only hope of salvation.

Now Almighty and eternal Father, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we especially appeal to you this day on behalf of your ancient people, Israel. Do not cast them off forever, O Lord, but look on them now in Your mercy. Remove from them their blindness and hardness of heart. May the time quickly come when You cause the Jews to recognize Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, uniting them to Him by faith, and grafting them in again unto the rich root of the olive tree, Your Church.

O Lord, let it be in our day that You do these things, that we may see it and rejoice knowing that Your Kingdom is very near.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

(TB)

Comments

I wouldn't say we reject the Gospel, but we can certainly use all the mercy and humility He's willing to grant us.

"I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours ... I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word." John 17:6-9, 20

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