A Prayer about the Mission of Jesus

by Elizabeth | Feb 21, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Mission, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Mission of Jesus

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor…Isaiah 61:1

Lord Jesus,

Dazzle us again with this strange but good news:

You weren’t just a man who decided to go about preaching.

You were “anointed,” set apart for a special mission,

designated to be a different kind of king.

You weren’t anointed

by the board of your church or by a seminary.

You were set apart for this mission

by the other two members of the Holy Trinity:

the Holy Spirit and the Holy God.

Together, in trinitarian agreement,

since the foundation of the world,

you all planned this special mission:

You would come, as the only God-in-flesh,

not to the rich and the rulers,

but to the poor, the afflicted, and the broken-hearted.

And you would bring “good news.”

We are grateful for your mission

and grateful to be the people for whom you came.

In your anointed name. Amen.

Dear friends, stay tuned. Tomorrow, we’ll pray more about Isaiah 61 and that good news.

A Prayer about the Pain of Living in a Fallen World

by Elizabeth | Jan 29, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Mission, Suffering

A Prayer about the Pain of Living in a Fallen World

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Romans 8:21

Compassionate Father,

We who live in Western culture are keenly aware

that we don’t suffer the way people in other cultures do—

we don’t have to search for healthy drinking water,

we are rarely persecuted for our faith,

our children have access to good health care.

And yet, that does not change the reality

of the pain of living in a fallen world.

Your Word is clear—

creation has been groaning ever since the fall,

“subjected to futility” (Rom. 8: 20).

Daily, we fight futility—

we answer all the emails but soon find the inbox full again,

we do all the laundry, but soon the baskets overflow again,

the children heal from one virus only to get a new one two weeks later.

Though these are the “trivial” pains we suffer,

they capture something of the futility

we will always experience until Jesus comes again.

Far less trivial are the pain and grief and sin and struggle

that pervade our world.

Your Word is clear—

none of us will escape suffering.

Betrayal in relationships,

bodies breaking down,

abusive parents battering hearts…

These are the painful realities of living in a fallen world.

And yet there may be hope.

Your Word promises

that through the everyday futility

and the deeper anguish of life in a fallen world,

you are healing and redeeming.

We who are united to Christ

are united to him in his sufferings,

and in suffering with him,

we will “also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:17).

We who suffer now will not always suffer:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time

are not worth comparing with the glory

that is to be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

Dear Father, may we draw near to you

in the pain of living in a fallen world,

trusting that you are writing your redemption story,

and that one day, you will finish your restoration work.

Romans 8:12-25.

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Might

by Elizabeth | Sep 6, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Mission

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Might

We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are. Numbers 13:31.

Mighty God,

I’m afraid I often relate more to the spies of Numbers 13

than I do to Caleb, the man with eyes to see your power and glory.

The spies, though they were surrounded by grapes the size of golf balls

and a land lush with pomegranates and figs,

chose to focus on the big and scary giants.

Caleb, a man of great faith,

boldly fought the wild rumors the fear-mongers spread,

assuring Moses and the people,

“we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).

Lord, may we remember

that you had brought your people through the wilderness,

and you had promised to give them this land (Numbers 13:1).

And yet, many doubted.

In the same way,

may we remember

that you have already defeated the monster of our sin

and have given us the fruit of the gospel.

As we remember your redemptive work in us,

may we grow in faith and boldness.

May we know that you are with us.

May we see that you are mighty to defeat

whatever giants we see in the lands to which you have called us

to go with the incredibly good news of the gospel.

In Jesus’ mighty and merciful name. Amen.

Read Numbers 13.

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5 Questions for Disoriented Graduates (and Their Parents!)

by Elizabeth | May 15, 2013 | Mission, Parenting

If you see a graduate looking this disoriented, you might want to call a doctor:-)!

With our eldest daughter just graduated from college and our youngest son graduating from high school in two weeks, I want to write some new thoughts about graduation, I really do. But the fact is, I have to figure out how to print return address labels for his invitations, go to the post office to get the “additional postage required” because I didn’t know the invitations we ordered were an “odd-size,” and buy more laundry detergent, because our household is again filled with kids who have laundry (and do it themselves). So, for today, I’m bringing back a post I wrote two years ago, when our youngest daughter graduated from high school. I think these things still pertain. But next time I want to write about the parents’ disorientation:-)!
“Human experience includes those dangerous and difficult times of dislocation and disorientation when the sky does fall and the world does come to an end.” Walter Brueggemann, on the Psalms

I was reading this great Brueggemann quote this morning, and it hit me. My daughter (and every other senior) is disoriented. Please don’t hear what I’m not saying — it’s not like she’s doing crazy things like wrapping the school up with caution tape or lying around the house all day watching old episodes of Make it or Break It. It’s just that she, and every other senior, has arrived at one of those times when a world has come to an end.

I’ve been focusing on how disorienting it is for me to have my third of four graduate from high school, but this morning I decided to turn the tables and think about what the seniors are wondering. Here are five questions of disorientation for graduates**:

1. Who am I now that I’m not…the class clown, the All-A student, the “most-likely-to-be-tardy,” the state wrestling champ…?

2. Will anyone here miss me? Will they remember me?

3. How will they get along without me? Who can fill my shoes in the part I played in this world?

4. Who will be my new friends along the next part of the journey?

5. Will I even make it on the next part of the journey?

** Caution — I don’t highly recommend sitting down with your graduate and saying, “Now, honey, I know you’re really struggling with some hard questions. Let’s talk about them.” (I read all about it on the Living Story blog.) (I write this only because it’s something I might do:).

I’m thinking — Reading the Psalms, which are all about disorientation and re-orientation, prayer, understanding and good conversation may be ways to walk well with a graduate (or anyone in transition). Letting someone know we’re listening to their hearts, remembering how those questions were answered for us or them in the past could be very helpful in these days. What do you think?