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A Prayer about Perfect Peace

by | Mar 24, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Lent

A Prayer about Perfect Peace

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ John 20:21

Heavenly Father, 

Even as Holy Week begins, 

may we remember its conclusion. 

In the days leading up to his death, 

Jesus suffered physical, mental, and emotional pain. 

And yet, he always remained at peace, 

because he knew he had been sent by you to complete a mission—

to bring your people back to your loving embrace.

Now, we your people carry on that mission. 

And sometimes we too will suffer physical, mental, and emotional pain. 

When we do, 

may we remember Christ’s words 

and know his profound comfort: 

‘Peace be with you.’

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read John 20:19-23.

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

 

A Prayer about the Surprise of a Risen Lord

by | Apr 8, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about the Surprise of a Risen Lord

Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ John 20:15

Gracious, Powerful, Startling, Risen Lord, 

It is almost funny to think of how your unbelieving enemies 

might have scurried around on that first Resurrection Day, 

making last-ditch attempts to cover up the truth about the one who covers our sins. 

We confess, we could have been them, 

or we could have been Peter, who denied you three times, 

or we could have mistaken you for the gardener, 

or we might have had a long theological discussion 

with you and not realized 

you were the King of theology, 

the walking, breathing, theology we always need.

Help us, we pray, to humble ourselves, 

to be willing to ride on a donkey or in a thirty-year-old Datsun, 

for love of our risen Savior. 

Teach us the difference 

between your righteous anger and our often self-righteous anger.

Free us to worship you with abandon, 

anointing you with precious perfume or lavishing you with unending praise.

Work in us so that we may work for you, 

washing dirty feet or changing smelly diapers.

Draw us daily nearer and nearer to you that we might live boldly, 

as a resurrected people raised from the death of our sins 

by the Savior who descended to the dead 

to put them to death. 

May we shout with triumph 

on this marvelous day, 

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

In your transforming name. Amen. 

Read John 20:13-29. 

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.

A Prayer about Silent Saturday

by | Apr 7, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Silent Saturday

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:4

Heavenly Father,

It’s the Saturday before Easter, 

the day Christians historically call “Silent Saturday.” 

That first Saturday after Jesus died 

would have been silent indeed; 

not only was it the Sabbath, 

but for all who loved and followed Jesus, 

it was a day of confusion, doubt, and deep grief. 

Unlike us, they didn’t know what would happen on Sunday. 

Father, on what may be a busy Saturday 

for many of us, 

as we take kids to Easter egg hunts 

or run to the grocery store 

for last-minute brunch items, 

I pray we will take time to be silent, 

to remember how tragic our story would have been 

if this story had ended on Saturday. 

I pray that we will also remember those 

who are walking in seasons of Silent Saturdays,

days of dark grief and devastating sorrow. 

Even as we remember, 

may we glimpse the rays of resurrection hope 

rising to crowd out the darkness. 

Even as we remember, 

may we look forward to the day 

of no more mourning, no more sorrow, no more tears (Revelation 21:4).

In Jesus’ hopeful name. Amen.

Read Matthew 27:62-66; Revelation 21:1-5.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.’

A Prayer about the Good in Good Friday

by | Apr 6, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about the Good in Good Friday

‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:46.

Tear-wiping God,

Many people have asked through the years, 

“How can we call it ‘Good Friday’ 

when it’s the day our Savior died?” 

In the same way, grieving friends may ask 

if there is anything good in these days,

the days of shootings, sickness, war, and death. 

Your answer to why Good Friday is good 

is your answer to all who mourn 

and to all who hate the brutality of sin and death. 

The Good in Good Friday comes from you, 

the through-and-through good Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Yes, Jesus was wrongly convicted in a mock trial.

Yes, Jesus was beaten and bloodied by Roman soldiers.

Yes, Jesus was mocked by many who previously praised him.

Yes, Jesus was subjected to the brutal death of crucifixion.

But God. But through it all, you were in control. 

Through it all, you were carrying out the plan 

that you, the triune God made from the beginning of time. 

It was a good plan. 

It was the only plan that could finally and forever 

restore your people to you. 

And in the moment that Jesus cried from the cross, 

“It is finished,” 

it became a completed plan. 

You had won victory over sin and death, 

and just three short days later, 

the “Son of Righteousness” would rise 

with “healing in [his] wings” (Malachi 4:2).  

Yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. 

In the worst of our days on this earth, 

may we never forget the great hope of Good Friday.

In Jesus’ victorious name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 26:57-65; Matthew 27:1-61.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.

A Prayer about God’s Silence

by | Apr 5, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about God’s Silence

‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.’ Luke 22:42

Father God,

As we walk with Jesus through Holy Week, 

as we kneel with him 

while he washes his disciples’ feet, 

as we listen to him 

give the new commandment 

to love one another as he has loved them (John 13:34), 

may we also stay awake with him 

in the garden as he agonizes in prayer. 

As we watch and listen with Jesus, 

may we notice that no answer comes to his prayer.

You do not speak. 

You do not send an angel. 

You are silent in Jesus’ moment of agony.

And may your silence speak 

into every empty space 

we have ever known in our prayers. 

When we beg you for years 

to bring our child home 

and she just seems to wander farther away from you. 

When we urge you  for decades to heal our chronic pain, 

and it lingers, weakening us and making us irritable. 

When we plead with you daily to free us from addiction, 

but the craving still strikes out of the blue.

In your silence to Jesus 

may we hear your whispered response 

to every prayer that hangs in the balance:

I abandoned my Son to the cross for you (Psalm 22:1-2). 

I sent my Son to take on your punishment and your pain (Romans 3:25-26). 

I sentenced my Son to death that you might be raised to new life. 

I am your beloved, and you are mine (Song of Solomon 2:16). 

As we remember these answers to prayers we did not pray, 

may we draw near to the throne of grace 

and find mercy to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

In Jesus’ suffering name. Amen.

Read Luke 22:39-46; Psalm 22:1-2; Romans 3:25-26; Song of Solomon 2:16; Hebrews 4:16.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.

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