Coronavirus: Praying at Easter for those affected

Andy Flannagan is a singer-songwriter and the Executive Director of Christians in Politics.

Here he offers an Easter prayer for all those affected by coronavirus – both in the UK and across the globe.

As so much of our “normal” lives are put on hold, it is worth remembering some things:

• Services may be cancelled, but Easter is not.
• Meetings may be cancelled, but connecting is not.
• Projects may be cancelled, but helping is not.
• Markets may be cancelled, but injustice is not.
• Hugs may be cancelled, but love is not.

There is something that has been permanently cancelled.

Hebrews Chapter 2 says – “14. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - 15. And free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

Sadly, death itself is still flailing around doing its worst to strike fear into our hearts. But the victory of the cross and the resurrection that we celebrate this Easter reminds us more than ever of how the story ends. And then more particularly, that it never ends.

In the Psalms, David cries out, “Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” (Ps. 22:1)

We follow David’s lead and we cry out alongside brothers and sisters across the globe who at this time of fear and uncertainty do not even have clean water with which to wash their hands, or a home to be confined to. We cry out for our own loved ones. We cry out for those who are putting their lives on the line for us every single day. We need to learn to lament. Sometimes when we only seek the silver lining, in the midst of this very dark cloud we may miss the learning of “God’s own heart” that David experienced.