NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 2/27

For several years I've posted a weekly Lenten series on a selected topic.  This year, on Fridays, I'll be featuring songs we sing to honor the Cross of Jesus. (Here's a link to the first in this series.)  The very fact that we sing of the Cross on which Jesus suffered and died is a testimony to our faith and belief that in his suffering and death we find our healing and our life...

Tonight's selection is  Tree of Life by Stephen Starke and Walker Williams. I suggest you pray with the song first, then move on to my Night Prayer...  (If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!) 

The scriptures sometimes refer to the Cross as the tree on which Jesus offered his life for us, setting a comparison between the tree of life in the garden of Genesis and the tree of the Cross on Calvary from which comes our life. 

Tree of Life 

    by Stephen Starke and Walker Williams 

 

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

The tree of life with ev’ry good
In Eden’s holy orchard stood,
And of its fruit so pure and sweet
God let the man and woman eat.
Yet in this garden also grew
Another tree, of which they knew;
Its lovely limbs with fruit adorned
Against whose eating God had warned.

The stillness of that sacred grove
Was broken, as the serpent strove
With tempting voice Eve to beguile
And Adam too by sin defile.
O day of sadness when the breath
Of fear and darkness, doubt and death,
Its awful poison first displayed
Within the world so newly made.

What mercy God showed to our race,
A plan of rescue by His grace:
In sending One from woman’s seed,
The One to fill our greatest need —
For on a tree uplifted high
His only Son for sin would die,
Would drink the cup of scorn and dread
To crush the ancient serpent’s head!

Now from that tree of Jesus’ shame
Flows life eternal in His name;
For all who trust and will believe,
Salvation’s living fruit receive.
And of this fruit so pure and sweet
The Lord invites the world to eat,
To find within this cross of wood
The tree of life with ev’ry good.

 Night Prayer

Lord...

 

    the Tree on which they crowned your head

        became for us the throne of grace...    

    the Tree where you, Lord, bled for us

        became the Tree where healing flows...

 

    the Tree whose branched arms took your life

        became our Tree of victory...

 

     the Tree where you, Lord, breathed your last

        became the sign of our new life...

 

So, let us stand there at your feet

    and draw us to your outstretched arms;

and looking up, Lord, let us see

    the fruit of mercy on your tree... 

 

Protect us, Lord while we're awake

    and watch over us while we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

Perhaps you'd like to pray with the song again... 

  

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

The tree of life with ev’ry good
In Eden’s holy orchard stood,
And of its fruit so pure and sweet
God let the man and woman eat.
Yet in this garden also grew
Another tree, of which they knew;
Its lovely limbs with fruit adorned
Against whose eating God had warned.

The stillness of that sacred grove
Was broken, as the serpent strove
With tempting voice Eve to beguile
And Adam too by sin defile.
O day of sadness when the breath
Of fear and darkness, doubt and death,
Its awful poison first displayed
Within the world so newly made.

What mercy God showed to our race,
A plan of rescue by His grace:
In sending One from woman’s seed,
The One to fill our greatest need —
For on a tree uplifted high
His only Son for sin would die,
Would drink the cup of scorn and dread
To crush the ancient serpent’s head!

Now from that tree of Jesus’ shame
Flows life eternal in His name;
For all who trust and will believe,
Salvation’s living fruit receive.
And of this fruit so pure and sweet
The Lord invites the world to eat,
To find within this cross of wood
The tree of life with ev’ry good.

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