A Prayer about Expressing Our Grief Honestly

by | Jul 17, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Expressing Our Grief Honestly

Lord, God,

So many people I know right now are grieving—

Grieving deep disappointments over lost hopes and dreams; 

grieving divisions in friends and families as well as in our nation; 

grieving the death of loved ones.

In such a season, 

we are grateful that you wrote into your Word 

an honest lament like Psalm 88, 

one of the least-cross-stitched, least memed, 

least quoted Psalms in the Bible. 

As we read the honest words of this Son of Korah:

“You have caused my companions to shun me; 

you have made me a horror to them. 

I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 

my eye grows dim with sorrow….” (Psalm 88:8-9a),

we may even wonder if there is any faith, 

any hope to be found in such a Psalm.

Indeed, Psalm 88 expresses strong faith, 

the faith to trust God with the dark emotions of grief 

and the questions that seem to have no answers. 

Psalm 88 also expresses powerful hope, 

the hope that God is listening, 

even if he has not yet answered. 

Thank you for welcoming our cries of normal grief 

and for standing ready to meet us in our confusion. 

Thank you for answering the Psalmist’s cry: 

in Jesus, you have worked wonders for the dead; 

in Jesus, the departed do rise up to praise you.

One day soon, Jesus will return, 

and we will rest in his loving presence.

In Jesus’ kind name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 88.

A Prayer about Listening to God

by | Jul 12, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Prayer

A Prayer about Listening to God

Speaking Lord, 

as we begin this week, 

many of us think about the work we need to do.

What if we began instead 

by thinking of prayer as our most important work?

And then, what if we began our prayer 

by listening to you 

rather than listing our many needs? 

Not that you don’t invite us 

to present all of our requests before you (Philippians 4: 6),

But too often we fail to see prayer as 

“answering God,” 

as Eugene Peterson put it. 

Today, let us begin by listening to a few things 

you’ve told us in your Word:

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, 

and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:1).

[Remain quiet and dwell on these words God has spoken to you].

“But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; 

for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, 

and her people to be a gladness.”

[Remain quiet and listen to God speaking his joy and gladness over you.]

“I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; 

no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.”

[Remain quiet and imagine the day of no more weeping and distress.]

Lord, may our prayers become more quiet. 

Make us attentive listeners, 

curious to hear what you have to say to us. 

As we hear your voice, 

through your Word, through general revelation, 

and through your Spirit, 

make our hearts beat more regularly 

to the rhythm of your grace and glory. 

In the name of the Word-Made-Flesh, Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Read Isaiah 65:17-25. 

A Prayer about Making Loving Decisions

by | Jul 7, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Making Loving Decisions

Loving God,

Many of us desperately need wisdom and clarity about tough decisions. 

I love how this verse tells us to begin with your love. 

Our love actually begins 

with knowledge of your contra-conditional love for us. 

As we grow in knowing that your love secures us, 

we grow in general knowledge and depth of insight — 

the wisdom and discernment we need 

for our daily decisions. 

It might look like this: 

my friend is trying to make a decision 

about where to send her daughter to kindergarten: 

public school, Christian school, homeschool? 

Instead of worrying and fretting, 

she spends time thinking about how much you love her

and how much you love her daughter. 

She then wisely entrusts her daughter’s story to you, 

knowing that you will provide for her 

in numerous ways.

With that peace of mind, 

she can choose where to send her daughter 

knowing that you will walk with her, 

working in her life to make her and her mom 

“pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 

filled with the fruit of righteousness 

that comes through Jesus Christ….” 

In Jesus’ clarifying name. Amen.

Read Philippians 1:3-11.

Oh, Lord,

We do bless you! 

Thank you for reminding us of all your benefits:

You forgive all our iniquity: 

when we tell half-truths, 

when we join in the coffee room gossip, 

when we put our trust in things of this earth rather than you — 

you forgive us! 

You heal all our diseases—

when we tolerate toxins which destroy our hearts, 

things like envy, comparison, unforgiveness, impatience—

you inject your antidote of grace, love, mercy, and compassion! (Psalm 103:3)

You redeem our lives from the pit—

when we have sunk farther than we ever thought we could go, 

you extricate us from our mucky ruts! (Psalm 103:4).

Not only do you forgive and heal and redeem—

you crown us with steadfast love and mercy, 

you satisfy us with good, 

you renew our youth like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:4-5).

Lord, today may we truly rejoice in all of your benefits, 

living and loving in the hope of your renewal.

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 103:1-5. 

A Prayer about Turning Darkness into Light

by | Jul 5, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Turning Darkness into Light

Brilliant Lord,

Even as we think of the beautiful fireworks 

lighting up the dark night, 

we remember how you have far more brilliantly 

illuminated our darkness.

To those surrounded by the isolating darkness 

of sorrow, grief, or depression, 

you have come to illuminate the one true hope. 

To those lost in the chaotic darkness 

of craving, addiction, or besetting sins, 

you have come to light the pathway out. 

To those assaulted by the harsh darkness 

of meanness, enemies, and evil, 

you have come to light a ring of protection.

May we live in this gracious light today and every day.

In your powerful name. Amen.

Read 2 Samuel 22:1-30.

A Prayer about Cheerful Giving

by | Jul 3, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Cheerful Giving

Generous Father,

What a mind-boggling statement about giving. 

Frankly, it’s not always what we hear in the church. 

Some churches hesitate to speak about giving 

because of the fear that people will feel manipulated. 

Other churches work the crowd, 

twisting arms and loading on guilt. 

The gospel frees us from both errors,

laying out the one essential motivation for giving:

You have given us your Son as our Savior. 

You sent him into the world, to die on a cross, 

so that we might become your children. 

You didn’t give him grudgingly; 

you didn’t give him “under compulsion”;

you didn’t give him reluctantly. 

You gave him with great joy and delight, 

knowing that this gift would return to you 

the profound joy 

of welcoming your children home.

Lord, help us to meditate on this good news 

as we consider giving. 

As we do, make us cheerful, generous givers, 

and give us great joy in the privilege of giving. 

In Jesus’ life-giving name. Amen. 

Read 2 Corinthians 9.

A Prayer about Thanking God for Creation

by | Jul 2, 2021 | Daily Prayer, gratitude

A Prayer about Thanking God for Creation

Lord God,

It is indeed good to give thanks to you—

when days are easy and when they’re not.

Today, I thank you for some of my favorite things 

about your extraordinary creation:

The teal-turquoise-marine of the Gulf of Mexico 

and the sugary velvet feel of the white sand.

The juicy explosion of a homegrown tomato 

And ripe blueberries fresh-picked from a friend’s yard.

A purple-pink-and-blue sunset, 

heat lightning against a dusky sky, 

and lightning bugs twinkling in the dark.

[Name some of your favorite things about God’s good creation.]

As we meditate on your glory inscribed in your creation, 

we thank you for the many good gifts 

you give your beloved children 

every day simply because you delight in us. 

In Jesus’ creative name. Amen.

Read Psalm 96:1-13.