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A Prayer about Waiting and Watching for the Lord

A Prayer about Waiting and Watching for the Lord

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.” Psalm 130:5-6

Steadfast God,

Many of us are waiting in agony for a harsh season to end. 

All of us are waiting for justice to reign in Ukraine,

Some of us have lost loved ones to cancer or heart disease or dementia; 

others have lost health, friendships, or churches 

in these political and pandemic years. 

Some are anxiously waiting for restoration 

after hurricanes and blizzards, 

and still others are waiting for good results 

from diagnostic testing or job interviews. 

Wherever we are in our wait, 

Lord, make us good watchmen. 

Draw our eyes heavenward, 

to notice your delight in a child’s glee, 

to hear your calming word in the voice of a wise friend, 

to see your light bursting forth in the dark of the dawn. 

May we have the courage to wait with hope because we know:

“With the Lord there is steadfast love,

 and with him is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7). 

Read Psalm 130. 



 

A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”

Psalm 51:3 

God of Abundant Mercy,

We return to David’s prayer of confession today 

to name our own sins, transgressions, and iniquities:

We know our transgression—

ways we’ve crossed the line, 

taken your good gifts and turned them into demands.

[Name some ways you’ve crossed the line.]

We need cleansing from our sin—

ways we’ve fallen short 

of the high mark Jesus set 

for loving our friends, family, neighbors, and enemies.

[Name some ways you’ve fallen short of the love Jesus commands.]

We need to be washed thoroughly from our iniquity—

our distorted way of seeing the world and walking in it, 

for indeed, we were born in iniquity (Psalm 51:2; 5).

[Name some ways your view of God’s world is distorted.]

We know our desperate need for a Savior, 

and we thank you and praise you 

for the perfectly righteous One you sent, 

who died that we may be washed 

“whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

In Jesus’ freeing name. Amen. 

(Thanks to ligonier.org for their helpful article, “What is the difference between sin, transgression, and iniquity?”).



 

A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

A Prayer about God’s Plans for Us

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11. 

Sovereign Lord,

It’s not even the end of January, 

and some of the plans and goals we made for this year 

have already ended in what looks like “disaster” to us: 

instead of being on track to run a 5k, 

we had the flu and stayed in bed for a week, 

instead of being more patient with our kids, 

our teenager wrecked the car and we lost our temper, 

instead of planning our anniversary trip, 

our spouse was diagnosed with cancer…

All good plans…disrupted.

Thank you for the truth of this verse—

you were speaking to the Israelites 

who were exiled in Babylon 

because of their disobedience and sin. 

Yes, their dreams had been crushed, 

their plans changed, 

but you promised them redemption and restoration 

not after, but during 

their time of exile. 

Help us draw near to you 

and trust in you in disrupted plans, 

that we might see the good stories 

you are writing in our lives 

for your glory.

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Jeremiah 29:1-11. 



 

A Prayer about Hope for Temptation

A Prayer about Hope for Temptation

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18

Lord Jesus,

We’re only five days into 2024, 

and most of us have already broken 

at least one New Year’s resolution, 

if we even made them. 

Worse still, we’ve all already succumbed to temptation—

to speak ill of a friend or an enemy, 

to eat or drink more than is good 

for the bodies you gave us, 

to say “yes” when we should have said “no,” 

or to say “no” when we should have said “yes.” 

And yet, on this twelfth day of Christmas, 

we take comfort in this passage (Hebrews 2:14-18).

You knew that in our humanity 

we would struggle with temptation and sin, 

so you took on our humanity—

everything except the sin. 

You gave your human body, 

sinless and righteous, 

as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. 

Because you did, 

we who are in you, 

are forever freed from the fear of death. 

Not only that, we are freed from slavery 

to the devil, 

that we might become obedient like you. 

And when we do struggle with temptation, 

we have a Savior who can really help, 

because you endured the pain and struggle 

of temptation for us. 

Encourage us today 

to walk in your new morning mercy.

In your suffering name, Amen.

Read Hebrews 2:14-18.



 

A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

A Prayer about Hope, Joy, and Peace at Christmas

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

Lord of Hope,

You know one of our children’s favorite seasonal movies 

is The Polar Express,

though they’re long past 

imagining that the North Pole 

is where the main action of Christmas takes place. 

The movie, based on the wonderful book by Chris Van Allsburg, 

is about belief, 

but the belief is in a myth. 

Unlike  “Hero Boy,” 

we need a different kind of believing—

we need to believe that you, 

the true hero of our truest story, 

were born as a baby, 

grew as a child, 

taught in the temple, 

turned water into wine, 

raised people from the dead, 

died on a cross, 

and rose from the dead. 

It is in this belief 

that we find our deepest hope, 

our longed-for joy, 

and our perfect peace. 

By your Holy Spirit, 

grant us this belief 

today and every day.

In Jesus’ trustworthy name. Amen.

Read Romans 15:1-13.

 

 

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