A Prayer about What Makes Us Most Happy

by | Sep 14, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about What Makes Us Most Happy

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

King Jesus,

In the seven beatitudes (beatus means “blessed” or “happy” in Latin), 

you gave us many characteristics of the happy ambassador, 

but you began with “poor in spirit,” 

or, as Eugene Peterson paraphrases it, 

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.”

Lord, we confess, we don’t like being “at the end of our rope.” 

We don’t want to be poor, 

whether in spirit or financially. 

We don’t want to be seen as weak or needy 

nor do we want to be weak or needy. 

We don’t really like to struggle; 

we prefer, especially as Christians, 

to have it all together. 

And yet, we know 

that you are the one 

“in whom all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). 

Humble us, Lord, and help us to acknowledge 

how desperate we really are. 

Help us to acknowledge 

our ongoing, daily battle with sin and selfishness. 

Help us to acknowledge 

that we’ve made some big messes 

in our families and friendships 

and work and churches. 

Help us to acknowledge 

that we’re weary 

and not sure how long we can keep going. 

Help us to lay every sin and sorrow before you, 

the One who came to envelop us 

in a state of rest and peace and happiness 

that lasts forever. 

Such is the joy of knowing your help for the desperate. 

So very gratefully we pray. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:1-12.

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

by | Sep 13, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Leadership, Suffering

A Prayer about Being a Comfort to Ministry Leaders

This is the fourth of four days praying through Colossians. Read yesterday’s here: 

If you’d like to receive these prayers in your inbox by 6 a.m. central time, please sign up: 

Remember my chains. Colossians 3:18

Jesus, Great Shepherd of the Sheep,

As we read the apostle Paul’s closing instructions to the Colossians, 

we can’t miss his reminder, 

which he mentions twice, 

that he is in chains. 

He has told the Colossians 

the good news of the gospel: 

they have died with Christ, 

been raised with Christ, 

are rooted in Christ, 

and are hidden in Christ. 

Now they and we can live in peace, 

in tenderness, 

in mercy. 

Now he encourages them and us 

to pray. 

We must pray for all who are ministers of the gospel:

preachers, teachers, youth workers, 

children’s and women’s ministry directors. 

We pray that we would not in any way imprison them, 

that we would speak to them 

and about them 

as we are directed to speak to everyone—

wisely, graciously, kindly (Col. 4:5-6). 

May we be faithful brothers and sisters, 

people like Tychicus, Onesimus, and Aristarchus, 

comforting our ministry leaders 

in trying and bewildering times (Col. 4:7-11), 

working with our ministry leaders 

for the glory of the Kingdom of God (Col. 4:7-12). 

May we “pray earnestly” like Epaphras 

for the good of our church, 

asking God to help the whole church 

follow the will of God (Col. 4:12-13). 

And may we always remember their chains, 

remember that our ministry leaders 

suffer for the sake of the glory of God. 

In your shepherding name. Amen.

Read Colossians 4.

A Prayer about Being United to Christ

by | Sep 12, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living

A Prayer about Being United to Christ

This is the third of four days praying through Colossians. Read yesterday’s here: 

If you’d like to receive these prayers in your inbox by 6 a.m. central time, please sign up: 

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3

Precious Jesus,

Please open the eyes of our hearts 

that we might understand all of the riches 

we have in our union with you, 

that we might live accordingly. 

Our old self has died, 

and with it, all of our slavery to sin—

we can be free of idolatry of every kind:

addiction to control or to crack, 

to work or to wasting time, 

to sexual immorality or to secret lusts.

We are raised with you, 

“holy and beloved” (3:1, 12), 

so we can put on compassion, 

letting others go first in a long line at the gas station, 

patiently waiting when our friend always runs fifteen minutes late, 

forgiving our co-worker for taking credit for our work, 

seeking to restore harmony with a roommate 

who never takes out the trash or does the dishes… (Col. 3:14).

Indeed, joined to you, 

we will “share in your sufferings” (Philippians 3:10), 

but because we are hidden in you, 

you will bear the brunt of those sufferings, 

as a pregnant mother does for the baby in her womb. 

Most wonderfully of all, 

because we are joined to you, 

we can never be separated from you. 

Gentle Jesus, may we indeed be thankful and peaceful. 

May we sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16-17)

 as we grasp this incredibly good news!

In your life-transforming name. Amen.

Read Colossians 3.

A Prayer about Where to Focus

by | Sep 11, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Where to Focus

This is the second of four days praying through Colossians. Read yesterday’s here: 

If you’d like to receive these prayers in your inbox by 6 a.m. central time, please sign up: 

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. Colossians 2:8

Lord Jesus,

Forgive us for wasting our time and our brain space 

with all sorts of 

“empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense” 

that fill the screens we gaze upon. 

We scroll and scroll, 

looking for the next new thing, 

some great idea, 

never realizing how many of the thoughts we consume 

come from “human thinking” 

or ”the spiritual powers of this world.” 

Draw our gaze instead to you, 

the One in whom God’s fullness dwells 

in a human body (Col. 1:19). 

As we look on you, 

may we see that if you dwell in us, 

if we call you Savior, 

we have been “buried with you in baptism,” 

and now we have been “raised with you 

through faith 

in the powerful working of God” (Col. 2:12). 

Because of this mind-boggling truth, 

we can walk freely, 

forgiven, 

in you, 

and we can live for you, 

loving you and loving others with all we do. 

That’s really the only reality 

we need to focus on today or any day. 

In your saving name. Amen. 

Read Colossians 2:1-23.

A Prayer about What to Pray For

by | Sep 10, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Parenting, Prayer

A Prayer about What to Pray For

For the next four days, we’ll pray through Colossians. If you’d like to receive these prayers in your inbox by 6 a.m. central time, please sign up: 

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… Colossians 1:9

Heavenly Father,

Today we allow your Word to give voice to our prayers for particular people:

[Try inserting your name or a person’s name in this prayer]

We pray for [name], 

May they grow in spiritual wisdom, not wisdom of the world, 

so that they may be filled with the “knowledge of [your] will,” 

not merely knowledge about Calculus, or parenting, or world history.

With this knowledge and wisdom, 

may [name] “walk in a manner worthy of you,” 

always seeking to bring you glory and honor 

and to love others well. 

May [name] “bear fruit in every good work” 

even as they continue to know you more intimately 

and learn more about your goodness (Col. 1:10).

May [name] be strengthened with your power, 

not Powerade power or strong girl power, 

but the kind and humble power 

that comes from your glorious might.

May this glorious power strengthen [name] 

to endure suffering 

and to be patient in trials, 

that they may know the deep joy of your comfort. 

May [name] give you thanks all day every day 

for your forgiveness, 

for your redemption, 

and for calling them “saints in light,” 

In Christ’s delivering name. Amen.

Read Colossians 1:9-14.