A Prayer about the Miracle of Life

by | Jun 27, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Parenting, Theology

A Prayer about the Miracle of Life

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13

Lord and Giver of Life,

As the grandparents of one baby born in February,

and two more to be born in the fall,

We’re more blown away than ever at the miracle of life.

As we have all become privy to the wonders of 3D ultrasounds

which take us into the womb to ooh and ahh

at the tiny little fingers,

the cute snub nose,

the long skinny legs,

of a 20-week-old life,

may we pause to consider

how wonderfully worked are your masterpieces,

the precious lives you have formed.

Lord, even as we marvel at the miracle of pregnancy,

may we serve every mother and every child,

finding ways to support them

in work and nutrition and childcare and healthcare,

that every child may grow to know

that they are created and redeemed by you.

In Jesus’ child-loving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 139:13-16.

A Prayer about Avoiding Foolish Controversy

by | Jun 26, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Leadership

A Prayer about Avoiding Foolish Controversy

Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 2 Timothy 2:23

Gracious and Wise God,

Give us the wisdom

the apostle Paul urged young Timothy to have.

May we “run away from infantile indulgence” (2 Tim. 2:22,The MSG)

by refusing to engage in inane arguments

with unbelievers and false teachers.

May we “pursue righteousness,

faith,

love,

and peace”

by grounding ourselves in your Word

and in the fellowship of the Church,

by praying that your Spirit would transform us

from people quick to quarrel

to people patient and peaceable.

May we become the types of servants

who avoid foolish discussions,

instead focusing on

being “kind to everyone,

able to teach,

patiently enduring evil,

correcting opponents with gentleness” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

May we pray for false teachers

and destructive leaders,

any who would lead others astray,

asking you to “grant them repentance,

leading [them] to the knowledge of the truth….

[that] they may come to their senses

and escape the snare of the devil,

after being captured by him to do his will.”

In Jesus’ truthful name. Amen.

Read 2 Timothy 2:22-26.   

A Prayer about What Justifies Us

by | Jun 25, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Theology

A Prayer about What Justifies Us

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4

Faithful Lord,

May it never be!

May we never be alienated—

cut off from, severed from, estranged from

our one and only Savior, Jesus Christ!

The apostle Paul is pretty ticked in Galatians.

Some people have come along and told the Galatians,

who were “running superbly” (Galatians 5:7),

that they had to be circumcised to be true Christians.

That would be like someone telling me

right after I became a Christian

that I wasn’t a true Christian

if I did not tithe ten percent of my income every month,

attend church every week,

and read my Bible every day.

Of course, those are ALL good things to do,

ways we grow in knowing and loving you,

but they are not the basis of your love for us.

We must know beyond a shadow of a doubt

that it is “by grace we are saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).

We must know that we don’t deserve our salvation;

we did nothing to earn it,

and we can do nothing to keep it.

That’s what it means to not “fall away from grace.”

Lord, humble us again.

Expose our folly —

Show us anything we do that we think makes us worthy of your grace.

And, so transform us that we live out of that grace,

running superbly

as we give and pray and seek and share

this amazingly good news!

In Jesus’ very-near name. Amen.

Read Galatians 5:1-10; Ephesians 2:1-10.

A Prayer about Telling the Wondrous Works of God

by | Jun 24, 2022 | Daily Prayer, worship, gratitude

A Prayer about Telling the Wondrous Works of God

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. Psalm 145:5

Our God and Our King,

Thank you for the words of Psalm 145

to give voice to our awe and gratitude 

at the wondrous works you have done. 

If we will pause to meditate, 

to chew on, 

to consider, 

to really think about…

YOU…

We will want to praise you, 

celebrate you, 

glorify you, 

in short…

tell everyone how great you are, 

so great that we can’t even figure you out, 

So great that we can’t even fully understand 

how great you are. 

And yet, we know your greatness 

when we see it, 

especially through your wondrous works—

Your mighty acts…[Name some of the Lord’s mighty acts in your life.] (Psalm 145:4)

Your glorious splendor…{Name some of the ways you see God’s splendor.] (Psalm 145:5)

Your awesome deeds…{Name some of the awesome deeds God has done.] (Psalm 145:6)

Your grace and mercy…[Name some of the ways you’ve seen God’s grace and mercy.] (Psalm 145:8).

Today, gracious and abundantly good God, 

we join with all of your works 

to give you thanks! (Psalm 145:10).

In Jesus’ righteous and loving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 145:1-13. 

A Prayer about Walking by the Spirit

by | Jun 23, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Walking by the Spirit

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Merciful Lord,

Sin has twisted us,

contorting our desires

so that we limp along,

trying out crutches

like sex and drink

and gossip and envy

and strife and shopping (Galatians 5:19-21)

which will never fully heal us.

Indeed, our hearts were made

to walk in the Spirit

and to live in the Spirit.

The Spirit heals our sin-twisted hearts and minds and bodies

by assuring us of your

unbelievable

undeserved

unending

love.

Transformed by this love,

we run the way you meant us to,

in love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

In Christ’s crucifying name. Amen.

Read Galatians 5:16-26.

A Prayer of Lament for the Abused and Betrayed

by | Jun 23, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer of Lament for the Abused and Betrayed

When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Psalm 142:3

Holy and Just God,

We use the words of Psalm 142

to cry out to you

on behalf of all who have suffered

injustice,

betrayal,

and abuse:

We pour out our complaints;

We tell you our troubles:

Too many children suffer harm at the hands

of those who are meant to show them your security;

Too many women suffer harm from the voices

of men who are meant to show them your tenderness;

Too many people of color suffer harm from the systems

that are meant to show them your protection.

For those who feel

“there is none who takes notice of me;

no refuge remains to me;

no one cares for my soul,” (Psalm 142: 3-4),

We cry out.

Show them that you are indeed

their “refuge,

[their] portion in the land of the living” (Psalm 142:5).

Deliver them from their “persecutors,

for they are too strong for [them]” (Psalm 142:6).

We urge you, Lord,

to make these wrongs right,

because you indeed are righteous,

and “you will deal bountifully with [us]” (Psalm 142:7).

In Jesus righteous name. Amen.

Read Psalm 142.