A Prayer Thanking God for His Covenant of Peace

by | Feb 5, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer Thanking God for His Covenant of Peace

Promise-keeping Father,

In this world so set on strife, what a profound promise this is:

Even where there is utter chaos on this earth, 

your steadfast love shall never leave us, 

your “covenant of peace shall not be removed” (Isaiah 54:10).

We don’t use the word covenant often in our everyday conversations, 

but we should use it more when we think about you. 

Your covenant is your unwavering, unbreakable, undivided, unimaginable, and undeserved 

commitment to love us and deliver us from our worst selves, 

to give us peace with you and peace with one another. 

Why would you make such a covenant with us? 

The Bible is clear—

it’s not because we were so numerous or powerful or special—

it’s because of your steadfast love and your compassion. 

We thank you for keeping your promises to us. 

May we joyfully serve you in gratitude for your grace.

In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Read Isaiah 54:8-10; Deuteronomy 7:6-11.

A Prayer for Grieving the Death of a Loved One

by | Jan 30, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer for Grieving the Death of a Loved One

Most merciful God,

Thank you for your Word, 

which offers joyous hope for those who die having trusted in Christ for salvation. 

Though you don’t give us all of the specifics, 

you do give us every reason to rejoice for them even as we grieve our loss:

On the cross, Jesus tells the thief, 

“Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The apostle Paul says, “To live is Christ; to die is gain” 

and “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, 

for that is far better” (Philippians 1:21, 23).

And while our loved ones, having died, are instantly delighting in Christ’s presence,

there is an even greater day to come, for them, and for all believers who remain on earth. 

On that day when Jesus returns, 

the dead will be raised and given their resurrection bodies, 

and we who are still alive will be raised, 

and we will all live together with God, with one another,

in the new heavens and the new earth (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Revelation 21:1-4). 

In that day, as J. R. R. Tolkien put it, “Everything sad will come untrue.” 

May we grieve with hope, knowing our loved ones are enjoying Jesus, 

knowing we will one day all be rejoined to rejoice in life forever 

on a fully redeemed new earth.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:21,23; Revelation 21:1-4.

Dear friends, if you know someone grieving the death of a loved one, please share this prayer with them. If you are grieving, and would like prayer, I will be happy to pray for you. 

A Prayer Thanking God for Rest

by | Jan 29, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer Thanking God for Rest

Father,

I opened my iPad this morning to a kind gift sent by a friend, 

an elegantly designed image  of the verse, 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-29).

Father, you have been so good to us. 

Still us and stop us in our striving, 

and return us to our one and only rest, 

the gentle and lowly Jesus. 

He has given us rest from the heavy guilt of our sin; 

he has given us rest from our fear of man; 

he has given us rest from our fears of harm. 

In him we find the only true rest for our souls.

We thank you and praise you, Lord, for rest.

In Jesus’ beckoning name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 116.

A Prayer about Seeking Peace and Pursuing It

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

A Prayer about Seeking Peace and Pursuing It

Peacemaking God,

Make us, like David, people who seek peace with our enemies. 

We desperately need your intervention to live out these words,

“Keep [our] tongues from evil

And [our] lips from speaking deceit” (Psalm 34:13).

“If possible, so far as it depends on [us], 

[may we] live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).

Help us to remember that your eyes are 

“toward the righteous and [your] ears toward their cry” (Psalm 34:15).

The fact is, we’re really no good at revenge, 

but the day will come when you will 

“cut off the memory of [those who do evil] from the earth” (Psalm 34:16).

Help us then, to follow our Lord Jesus, who leads us 

to “turn away from evil and do good, 

to seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 34:10-22.

A Prayer about Deliverance from Fear and Shame

by | Jan 27, 2021 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Deliverance from Fear and Shame

Oh Father, 

How grateful I am for the true stories 

you tell in your Word about men and women 

who felt fear and shame.

In Psalm 34:4, the man “after God’s heart,” young David,

cries out after what might have felt like 

a very fearful and shameful experience: 

pretending to be mad in front of King Achish of Gath 

as he hid from King Saul (1 Samuel 21:10-15). 

Thank you, Lord for this truth—

whether our fear stems 

from our own foolish acts 

or from danger from an enemy, 

you answer us, you deliver us.

David goes on, “Those who look to him are radiant, 

and their faces shall never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5).

Today, may we remember the freedom from shame 

bought by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 

and may we remember that we reflect your glory 

in our radiant faces. 

In Jesus’ delivering name. Amen.

Read Psalm 34:1-10.

A Prayer about God’s Best Plan for Us

by | Jan 26, 2021 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about God’s Best Plan for Us

All-seeing God,

It is near the end of January, 

and many of us have already seen good plans 

we made through prayer and counsel, disrupted.

Whenever our plans on this earth are disrupted or diverted, 

help us to remember what a great promise you gave the Israelites, 

even as you sent them into captivity:

“You will be in Babylon for seventy years. 

But then I will come and do for you 

all the good things I have promised, 

and I will bring you home again” (Jeremiah 29:10).

“In those days when you pray, I will listen. 

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 

I will be found by you,” says the Lord.

“I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. 

I will gather you out of the nations 

where I sent you and will bring you home again 

to your own land” (Jeremiah 29:15).

Lord, even as you promised to return the Israelites 

to the land you created for them, 

you promise to take us out of the captivity of our sin and sorrow 

and return us to the new heavens and the new earth, 

to restore our fortunes beyond our wildest plans or dreams. 

In the day when Christ returns to take his people home to you, 

we will truly be home forever. 

May we look and lean toward that wonderful day.

In Jesus’ hope-full name. Amen. 

Read Jeremiah 29:10-15; Revelation 21:1-5.