A Prayer about the Joy Growing in Our Hearts

by | Nov 11, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Joy Growing in Our Hearts

Do you know joy is growing in your heart?

Light is sown for the righteous, And joy for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11

Glorious God,

We confess, 

sometimes the evil in our world 

and the darkness in our own hearts 

obscures your righteousness and glory. 

Psalm 97 reorients the eyes of our hearts

to see how magnificent you are, 

and as we see your kingly power 

and eternal beauty, 

we rejoice: 

“The Lord reigns; 

let the earth rejoice; 

let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps. 97:1). 

May we never doubt for a moment 

that you will defeat all evil 

on this earth 

in your good time: 

“Fire goes before him 

and burns his adversaries all around” (Ps. 97:3). 

Indeed, as we see “The mountains [melting] like wax” 

before you, mighty Lord, 

we “hear and [are] glad.” 

We rejoice! 

Not only are you “[preserving] the lives of your saints; 

[delivering] us from the hand of the wicked,” (Ps. 97:10), 

you are sowing light in our hearts. 

Today and every day, 

may we see the seeds of light 

growing in our hearts, 

and may we know that out of those seeds, 

you will harvest bright blooms of joy and gladness. 

Indeed, as your children made righteous in Christ, 

may we “give thanks to [your] holy name!” (Ps. 97:12).

In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen.

Read Psalm 97.

A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

by | Nov 10, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

Please join me in praying for our veterans and current military personnel.

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:11

Almighty God,

Even as we celebrate and pray

for our veterans today in America, 

we praise you for being the Commander-in-Chief 

of Peace and Love. 

We thank you for those 

who have laid down their lives 

to bring peace, freedom, and protection to our country.

We thank you for their many sacrifices—

leaving families and friends, 

suffering loneliness and injury on our behalf.

We lift up families of veterans and current military personnel—

may they find good community, supportive churches, 

and rest in your protection when their loved ones are serving.

And we pray for all who have been injured in the line of duty, 

whether physically or mentally. 

We ask especially for healing of those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder—

bring restoration and hope to their lives and their families’ hearts. 

Most of all, we pray that our veterans and current military personnel 

would find their hope and healing in the Prince of Peace—Jesus.

In his mighty name we pray. Amen. 

Read Psalm 29. 

A Prayer about Affliction

by | Nov 9, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Affliction

Do you ever struggle to understand affliction?

I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Psalm 119:75

Faithful Lord,

The truth is, we don’t like to think that you afflict us. 

And then, when we do think you afflict us, 

we don’t always remember that it is 

“in faithfulness” that you do so. 

Today, I can more easily see how and why 

you might allow what feels like affliction in our lives. 

We have had to withhold food

from our beloved dog-who-thinks-she-is-a-person 

since last night at 8 p.m., 

because she is getting her teeth cleaned today. 

She has begged, 

she has nudged, 

she has barked her displeasure 

at not getting her morning treats, 

her morning meal, 

and her second round of morning treats. 

(I know, maybe we’re too extravagant with her?) 

(But not any less so than you are with us!).

To her, this feels like affliction. 

But we know that if we fed her, 

she might aspirate while under the anesthetic. 

Finally, she has settled, 

choosing to take a nap, 

choosing to trust 

that we have a good reason 

for “afflicting” her. 

Today, Lord, we pray that we would do the same—

that we would settle, 

that we would trust you, 

that we would know any affliction we experience 

is faithfully, sovereignly, lovingly 

administered by you. 

In the name of our afflicted Savior we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 119:67, 71, 75. 

A Prayer about the Impossibility of Love

by | Nov 8, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Impossibility of Love

Can you love like this?

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 7

Loving Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

We confess,

When we read the apostle Paul’s description of love, 

we know we cannot love like this.

One translation states,

“Love always protects…”

We confess, we sometimes protect — until we find it too hard or inconvenient….

“Love always trusts…”

We confess, we sometimes trust—until someone fails us repeatedly.

“Love always hopes…”

We confess, we sometimes hope—until it hurts too much to keep hoping.

“Love always perseveres…”

We confess, we sometimes persevere—until we get too tired and give up. 

“Love never fails.”

We confess, we often fail in love.

Thanks be to God — 

to you, our ever-loving Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 

these words apply to You — 

You are the one 

who always protects, 

always trusts, 

always hopes, 

always perseveres.” 

You are love, 

and your love never fails. 

How secure we are in that love. 

What hope we have that one day 

we truly will always, 

everyday, 

love as you do. 

Keep growing us in that love until that day comes.

Amen. 

Read 1 Corinthians 13.

A Prayer about Wisdom for Caregivers

by | Nov 7, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Wisdom for Caregivers

Do you have a caregiving friend, or are you a caregiver needing wisdom?

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Wise and Gracious Lord,

Thank you for the wisdom you give 

for all of life’s hard stories and tough decisions. 

Today we think of our caregiving friends, 

who face weighty decisions daily 

concerning their loved ones’ care. 

Which medicine to try, 

how to get their loved one to comply with doctor’s orders, 

whether to take the car keys or not, 

how long to continue trying new treatments….

the list goes on and on. 

We pray for them, 

that they would hear you answering their prayers, 

perhaps in the form of helpful and wise counselors 

who have been there before them 

or in the form of gentle and kind social workers 

who understand the situation. 

We pray that you would deploy us 

as answers to their prayers, 

simply by offering respite 

or picking up mail while they’re at the hospital, 

or performing a simple task 

like walking the dog or delivering a meal. 

We pray that you would show them 

your deep compassion and forgiveness, 

especially if they are feeling a sense of failing their loved ones. 

Lord, in their hard caregiving days, 

may they truly know the rest and kindness of Jesus, 

our constant and caring companion.

Amen.

Read Proverbs 2:6; Psalm 91:1, 16; Isaiah 25:6-8; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.