A Prayer about the Best Heart Transplant

by | May 29, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Best Heart Transplant

Lord God,

I’ve always been fascinated with the strange prophecies of Ezekiel. 

I love the part where you tell him to breathe into the dry bones, 

and “there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, 

and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

”Then you tell Ezekiel to breathe some more, 

and all of these skeletons are covered with flesh  (Ezekiel 37:7-10). 

It is vivid picture of the new life you give us in Jesus Christ. 

We were walking skeletons in our sin (Ephesians 2:1), 

but you raised us to new life. 

Not only that, you gave us a heart transplant, 

so that we would be your people, and you would be our God.

Fill our imaginations, Lord. 

Help us to see our new hearts 

learning to pump out the lifeblood of love. 

Send us as your grace-plump, enfleshed people, 

into a hurting world that desperately needs new hearts.

In Jesus’ life-giving name. Amen.

Read Ezekiel 36:22-38; 37:1-14.

A Prayer about the Antidote to Shame

by | May 28, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Antidote to Shame

God of Delight,

We confess, we often cower in shame rather than enjoying and glorifying you. 

This verse gives us a hint about how our crippling shame has been overcome.

We suffer from shame over our sin: the real guilt we should feel about our attempts to rule your universe, our attempts to steal glory for ourselves, our attempts to find security and significance in anything other than you. 

We suffer from shame over others’ harm: the neighborhood bully who called us “fatty” in front of our friends, the teacher or coach or babysitter who made inappropriate sexual comments, the parents who never seemed satisfied with B’s on our report card…

Help us to see that we have a potent antidote to this nagging shame we feel: 

Joy. 

Jesus, the “founder and perfecter of our faith,” 

“Endured the cross, despising the shame”— how? 

“For the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2)

What was that joy? Jesus enjoyed you, and he knew you enjoyed him. Jesus enjoyed completing the mission you had sent him on—to bring your people home to you. He endured the cross, despising the shame because he knew that in his death the shame of our sin would be forever conquered. He knew that in his death and resurrection, our shame would be forever covered as we would be robed in his righteousness. 

Help us to grasp this incredibly good news, Lord. Help us to turn away from our shame, whether true or false, and turn toward Jesus. Help us to embrace your joy in your new creation; help us to enjoy your enjoyment of us, and help us to simply enjoy you as the delightful and delighting Creator and Redeemer that you are.

In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen. 

Read Hebrews 12:1-2; John 17:1-5; Luke 2:10; Philippians 4:4. 

A Prayer for Those Longing for a Spouse

by | May 27, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Marriage

A Prayer for Those Longing for a Spouse

Loving God,

We do believe that nothing can separate us from your love; 

help our unbelief.

Today especially, I think of people who are lonely, 

especially those who long for a spouse.

Sometimes they feel unloved, left out, flawed even, 

because they have waited and prayed for years 

for their beloved on earth, 

but you have not yet granted their request. 

We know, Lord, that we all belong to you, 

that indeed “our Maker is our husband,” 

but we plead for those who long for a spouse:

Overpower them with the knowledge 

of your compassionate love for them;

Be near to them in their sorrow and longing;

Energize them with your endurance 

when they feel they can wait no more;

Give them wisdom and patience 

about how and whom to date;

And, if it be your will, 

put that person in their lives even today

who will give them a foretaste of the perfect love 

we will all know one day 

when our bridegroom Jesus returns. 

In Jesus’ beloved name. Amen. 

Read Romans 8:38-39; Isaiah 54:1-8. 

A Prayer about Daring to Hope

by | May 26, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Daring to Hope

God of Hope, 

I confess, as lovely as every word in this verse is, 

it’s often hard to hope.

Stories marked by earthly hopes 

disappointed 

often tamp down our hope. 

I pray for myself and for my friends 

who may feel the same way:

By the power of your Holy Spirit, 

transform our skeptical hearts into hearts 

that trust in our God of hope.

Transform our impatient hearts into hearts 

that wait eagerly for the glorious work

our God of hope will do in us and in others.

As you transform our hearts, 

fill us with your joy—

the capacity to enjoy you and enjoy the wonder-full story 

you are writing in this world and in our lives.

As you transform our hearts, 

fill us with your peace—

the capacity to rest in you and to believe 

that you are writing a new story of wholeness, harmony, and unity.

Finally, as you transform us and fill us with your joy and peace, 

may our hope spill over into every crack and crevice of our lives 

and the lives of those around us, 

sprouting forth in bright blossoms of new creation glory.

In Jesus’ hope-giving name. Amen. 

Read Romans 15:1-13. 

A Prayer about Numbering Our Days

by | May 25, 2021 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Numbering Our Days

Eternal and Merciful God,

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe that Jesus has risen from the dead; 

we believe that he has defeated death. 

We even believe that you are conforming us 

to the image of Christ through the indignities

 of aging and dying. 

But we also live in a world that disbelieves. 

Our world tells us that wrinkles should be fought,

and weakness should be hidden.

Our world tells us we have every right and means 

to maintain our health and vigor forever. 

Our world lies to us, 

but we have often bought the lie.

Open our eyes to see your mercy, grace, and compassion 

for the aging and dying. 

Help us to prepare well and grieve well 

even as we embrace the hope we have 

for life forever with you. 

In Jesus’ dying and risen name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 90.

Hi friends, today in my regular weekly gospel meditation, I’m beginning a new monthly column on issues of aging, dying, and death. If you’d like to find out why Christians can talk about what o one wants to talk about, please check it out.