A Prayer about Endurance in Suffering

by | Aug 26, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Endurance in Suffering

Do you need endurance for trials?

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 1:9

Precious Jesus,

In your Word, and by your Spirit, 

you have given us everything we need 

to persevere in every seemingly new tribulation. 

Even today as we consider Christians 

suffering for their faith throughout the world, 

we are reminded that the apostle John, 

at eighty-four-years-old, 

was sent by the Romans to rot and die 

on the island of Patmos 

because of his “testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). 

He speaks to your disciples who suffer today

 as a “partner in the tribulation 

and the kingdom 

and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” 

As one Bible scholar puts it, 

“John does not urge his fellow-Christians 

to seek a means of escape from this tribulation, 

for he understood only too well 

that discipleship means suffering.”* 

Jesus, in light of the suffering of the martyrs 

throughout the ages, 

we pray that you would make us bold 

to partner with those in deep suffering, 

to persevere with the patient endurance 

that is our legacy as your sisters and brothers.

In your enduring name we pray. Amen. 

Read Revelation 1.

*See Graeme Goldsworthy, The Gospel in Revelation, 181. 

A Prayer about Longing for Healing

by | Aug 25, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Longing for Healing

Do you or does someone you know struggle with chronic illness? This prayer is for you or your friend.

“He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” John 9:14

Healing Lord, 

You know my sweet husband often jokes 

that if either one of us ever woke up and our bodies weren’t in pain, 

we’d know we had died and gone to be with you. 

Today I pray for all who have chronic illness and ailments, 

for those who have visited doctor after doctor, 

sought help from numerous resources, 

hoping for a diagnosis, hoping for a cure.

We confess, we don’t understand why some people 

are healed and others aren’t. 

And yet, we trust that you are merciful and kind, 

that you are working in the midst of affliction, 

just as you worked in the midst of Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Today, give us the courage to pray 

that even if we are not yet healed, 

your grace would be sufficient 

and our suffering would reveal your glory. 

Today, give us the courage to pray for healing 

and to trust that if healing doesn’t come in our bodies or minds, 

it will come in our hearts 

in the form of greater endurance, 

greater faith, 

greater hope (Romans 5:3-5). 

In your redeeming name. Amen. 

Read John 9:1-41; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

A Prayer about Being Afraid

by | Aug 24, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Being Afraid

How do you pray when you’re afraid?

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

Lord God,

Thank you for your compassion 

for our fearfulness. 

Today, we bring our fears to you:

When we are afraid that we will fail 

[name any failures you fear],

We put our trust in you.

When we are afraid 

that we’ve made the wrong decisions for our children or grandchildren

[name any parenting or grandparenting decisions you fear],

We put our trust in you.

When we are afraid that our health 

or the health of a loved one will not improve 

[name any health fears you have],

We put our trust in you.

When we are afraid that we won’t find jobs or find finances 

[name any fears for provision you have],

We put our trust in you.

Father, you know all of our fears, 

and you invite us to bring them to you. 

As we do so, calm our hearts and minds 

in the hope of your kind provision.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read Psalm 56.

A Prayer about the Wrath of God

by | Aug 23, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Wrath of God

What do we do with what the Bible says about the wrath of God?

But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Romans 2:8.

Holy and Just God,

We confess, we don’t like to talk much about your wrath and fury. 

And yet, your Word tells us 

that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), 

and that there is only one way to be saved from our sin—

by your Holy Spirit awakening us from our spiritual death

and through our trust in your Son our Savior. 

There are people who refuse to seek you, 

who refuse to obey you, 

who, even worse, 

obey unrighteousness, 

who “cannot rest until they do evil” (Proverbs 4:16). 

For such people, there will truly be “tribulation and distress” (Romans 2:9) 

on the “day of wrath” (Romans 2:5). 

As people who belong to Jesus, 

may we never judge people who seem to be following evil. 

May we instead reach out to the unrepentant, 

praying for them, 

urging them by the power of your Spirit 

to turn away from evil, 

to turn back to you, 

to know your abounding mercy, 

that they may never know 

your wrath and fury on judgment day. 

In Jesus’ evil-crushing name. Amen.

Read Romans 2:1-16.

A Prayer about Seeking Immortality

by | Aug 22, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Seeking Immortality

How do you seek glory and honor and immortality?

To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life…Romans 2:7

Just Judge,

Again today, we grapple with Paul’s strong words 

about your judgment in Romans 2:1-11. 

We know the gospel tells us 

we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8). 

And yet, here we read: “He will render each according to his works…” (Romans 2:6). 

Help us to understand what one biblical scholar wrote,

“Judgment by deeds is not salvation by works…

our words and deeds follow our heart commitments.”* 

Lord, if we truly belong to you, 

then the Holy Spirit is transforming 

our hearts, 

our words, 

our deeds, 

so that we do become “patient in well-doing,” 

so that we do seek “glory and honor and immortality,” 

and so that we will bask in the joy of eternal life with you. 

Reading our Bibles, 

driving a friend to chemo, 

helping a co-worker figure out a problem, 

feeding a homeless person—

these are the acts that flow from being united with you. 

By your faithfulness in us through your Holy Spirit, 

we will persevere in glorifying you to the end.

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Romans 2:1-11. 

*See Ch. 5 of Dr. Dan Doriani’s Romans commentary.

A Prayer about the God Who Answers before We Call

by | Aug 21, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the God Who Answers before We Call

Do you know the God who anticipates your prayers?

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

All-Knowing, All-Seeing Father,

We confess, we often forget 

that you know all things; 

you see all things.

And because you do, 

you are orchestrating your world 

such that even before affliction or adversity come, 

you are working in all things 

to provide comfort and consolation. 

Before the word “Help!” forms on our tongues, 

you are already moving 

to provide what we need. 

Before we have uttered a sound, 

you have heard, and when you hear, 

you move to act (See Exodus 2:23-25). 

When we feel incapable of praying, 

when we don’t know how to pray, 

we need not worry, 

for “the Spirit himself intercedes for us 

with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). 

Like the Good Father who ran toward his son 

while he was still a long way off (See Luke 15: 17-24), 

you have come near to us in your Son, 

who himself “lives to make intercession for [us]” (Hebrews 7:25). 

Oh Father, your love for us, 

your nearness to us, 

is incomprehensible! 

May we grasp the hope this gives us; 

the confidence and comfort it brings!

Amen.

Read Isaiah 65:24; Hebrews 7:20-28, Romans 8:26-39.