Paskha (Passover)
That’s what the Orthodox Church calls Easter on this side of the world since it is the event that links the first Jewish Passover where the lamb’s blood saved them from death
to Jesus our Passover Lamb whose blood saves us from death (1 Corinthians 5:7). (The term “Easter” is a carry-over from a pre-Christian spring festival that celebrated new life.)
So, in the spirit of seeing the journey from the Passover in Egypt to the battles and freedom of the promised land as a metaphor for our Christian life, I offer this “chant”.
For sending the Lamb of God to keep us from the angel of death, we thank You.
For freeing us from enemy voices that drive and demean us, we thank You.
For providing for us and deepening our understanding of You in the wilderness of life, we thank You.
For Your jealousy for us and our children to live well in the land, we thank You.
For Your mercy and instruction when we turn away from You, we thank You.
For equipping us with Your might to fight battles within and without, we thank You.
For living among us and within us to take up our burdens, we thank You.
For opening a way and conquering through us the things that are giants in our lives, we thank You.
For wisdom, strength and love to live in Your ways among people of other ways, we thank You.
For discernment to walk through all things with You and not to dilute Your message, we thank You.
For letting our own sin’s consequences draw us back to Your wholeness, we thank You.
For forgiving us and taking away our shame, we thank You.
For conquering death and the power of fear, anger and worry, we thank You.
For the invitation to join You in our own transformation and that of others, we thank You.
For Your pursuit of us and the hope of full transformation at Your return, we thank You!