A Prayer about a God Who Can Do Far More than We Ask or Think

by | Jun 13, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Prayer

A Prayer about a God Who Can Do Far More than We Ask or Think

Glorious God, 

I believe; I confess my unbelief.

For the past few days, 

we’ve been praying Paul’s prayer 

asking you to strengthen us

 through the power of your Spirit, 

for the purpose of comprehending 

your incomprehensible love.

As we come to the end of this series, 

we must ask ourselves honestly,

do we dare to pray this prayer:

You are able to do far more abundantly 

than ALL that we ask or think—

[pause for a few moments

and think about things 

that you may not dare to believe God is able to do…]

How do you do it? 

By working within us, 

through your power (not ours).

Why do you do it?

For the glory of the church 

and for the glory of Jesus Christ 

through all generations, forever and ever and ever.

Today, help us to see how you have already inscribed 

your incomprehensible love into our stories 

and into the redemption of your cosmos.

[Take a few moments again to write or name some of these things].

By the power of your Spirit and because of your glory, 

help us to grasp how much you really love us, Lord, 

and make that love flow boldly through our lives.

In Jesus’ everything-changing name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 3:14-21. 

A Prayer about Being Rooted and Grounded in Love

by | Jun 12, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Being Rooted and Grounded in Love

Father God

As we see plump, juicy tomatoes growing on the vine 

(not in my yard, but in my daughter’s), 

we recognize that good gardeners know 

they need rich, fertile soil 

to grow strong, healthy plants. 

You’ve designed us the same way, 

and the absolutely essential ingredient 

for healthy growth as a Christian is 

love. 

When we are rooted in it, grounded in it, 

by your Gardener-Spirit, 

we grow strong and healthy. 

Because your love is so overpowering 

and incomprehensible to us—mere humans, 

we need your strength to comprehend it—

no measuring tape or smart phone app can reach 

far enough, long enough, deep enough, or wide enough, 

to measure your love. 

Not even the string theory physicists 

can comprehend it, 

for it “surpasses knowledge.” 

Only by your Spirit working in us 

can we know this love. 

So Lord, we ask, 

please please renew our minds and hearts 

so that we can grasp it 

and grow in it and be filled with all your fullness, 

that we may bear the fruit of love

 in your glorious kingdom.

In Jesus’ incomprehensibly loving name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 3:14-21.

A Prayer for the Kind of Strength We Need

by | Jun 11, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Prayer

A Prayer for the Kind of Strength We Need

Father God, 

Thank you for this comprehensive prayer 

Paul prayed for his friends the Ephesians. 

Today, we pray it for our loved ones and for ourselves:

Out of your glorious riches — 

your riches aren’t earned, 

nor are they corrupt, 

nor are they self-serving — 

they are glorious and generous and plentiful 

to provide all of our needs…

May you strengthen [insert name of loved one or your name] 

with your power — 

your power, which is perfectly wielded 

for the weak and needy (that’s us and others) 

to make us strong — 

not Ford tough or Chevy strong— 

but strong in our “inner being,” 

strong in your Spirit’s power, 

not our own. 

As you strengthen us 

by your Spirit, 

may [name of loved one’s] heart 

come to rest 

in the life-changing reality 

that Christ, our King and Savior, dwells in our hearts. 

In the name of our heart-dwelling Savior, Jesus, we pray.

Amen. 

Read Ephesians 3:14-21. 

A Prayer about Trustworthy Promises

by | Jun 10, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection

A Prayer about Trustworthy Promises

Lord Jesus,

We do need to “Write this down, 

for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5).

Sadly, many people who say they know you 

teach and preach words that are not trustworthy and true. 

They tell people to “name it and claim it,” 

and they will be healed. 

As we read your trustworthy and true words, though, 

we see you make no such promises 

for healing to happen in our time in our way. 

What you do promise is that the day is coming 

when “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations,” (Revelation 22:2),

when all broken things will be restored (Revelation 21:5). 

That day will come when you return, 

and we can’t wait. 

In that day, there will be full and forever healing 

unlike anything we’ve ever imagined. 

Help us to look to that day even in the worst days of this life.

In your redeeming and restoring name we ask. Amen. 

Read Revelation 21:1-5, 22:1-5. 

A Father’s Day Gift He’ll Love

by | Jun 8, 2021 | Weekly Gospel Meditation

A Father’s Day Gift He’ll Love

Last month we wrote letters to our mothers or mother figures, thanking them for how they shaped our lives. Dads often get short shrift when it comes to Father’s Day, though I’m not quite sure why. We don’t always go to the lengths to celebrate Dads that we do to celebrate moms. But if you have or had a dad who gave you a taste of the goodness of our Heavenly Father, you know he should be celebrated. 

As I said last month, that may not have been your experience. Your dad may have been absent or even abusive. If that’s the case, I hope there is someone on this earth who has given you a little glimpse of a good father. Or, like me, you may have lost your dad in recent years. I am going to try this exercise as I continue to grieve my father’s loss. 

If you want to try it, here are the basic instructions, similar to last month’s but altered for dads. Also, if you want the printable template I created to write the Mother’s Day letter, make sure to sign up to get that and other free resources to help you learn, live, and love in God’s story of grace.  

Prompts:

Tell him something you love about him…

      His cooking, his sense of humor, his kindness, the way he provided for you and your family

Tell him a way he’s really helped you…

 Always being there when you call or text

 Teaching you about money and responsibility

Coaching your soccer team

Making your children giggle

Tell him about a characteristic or practice she has that you’d like to develop…

      His kindness, faithfulness, boldness

      His discipline in reading the Bible, his commitment to exercise, his love of prayer

Tell him about a lasting impact he’s made…

       on the world, on you, on your family, on your friends, on his work.

Think about things he’s really good at…

things he says a lot (even if you got tired of hearing it),

things he loves…

Tips for Writing Your Letter

  1. Pray about it. Ask God to help your memory and your imagination. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the right words.
  2. Brainstorm…Set a timer for 15 minutes and get all your ideas down on paper or into the voice recorder on your phone. Talk to your siblings or your mom if you get stuck. Try to come up with as many specific examples of things your dad has done for you as you can.
  3. Write a rough draft. Set a timer for 15 minutes and just start writing. You can always change things later.
  4. Don’t worry about having the right grammar or the best words.
  5. Do try to be specific…remember to try to “show” rather than “tell”:

Ex. Instead of, “I loved how you read books to me when I was a kid….”

“I loved how you would snuggle up with me on the couch and read The Chronicles of Narnia with me.”

If you do this exercise, I’d love to hear how it goes. Sometimes one of the biggest payoffs comes in the process of writing it. As we think intentionally about thanking our fathers, we see more of how God has worked redemptively in our lives. 

For Reflection and Discussion:

Have you written your father a thank-you letter before describing his impact on you as a father? What was that like? Will you do it again?