A Prayer about the Prize We Really Want

by | Sep 21, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Prize We Really Want

Do you know what you’re running for?

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Heavenly Father,

We can all relate to the apostle Paul’s sense 

that he is running a race, 

but help us to pause to consider: 

what race are we running? 

What prize are we seeking? 

If we’re honest, it may just be the race 

to keep up with the neighbors, 

whether virtual or real; 

or the race to do work that will finally please our boss; 

or the race to take care of every need of every loved one….

Some of these are worthy races to run, 

but we know deep in our hearts 

(because your Holy Spirit convicts us) 

that we will never win the prize in such races, 

or that if we do, the prize will not fully satisfy. 

Father, instead, help us to see the only race worth running, 

the “one thing” Paul mentions: 

the race for the prize of knowing you, 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 

the prize of seeing you face to face, 

as we will do when you take us home to heaven, 

the prize of becoming like you and never sinning again (See 1 John 3:2). 

Father, help us to see that this is a race 

we will certainly win 

because our beloved Savior has gone before us, 

enduring the cross, 

despising the shame (See Hebrews 12:1-3), 

and has won the prize 

of resurrection and reconciliation with you. 

What hopeful news this is. 

May we pause to consider the joy we have 

in such a prize!

Amen.

Read Philippians 3:10-21; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 John 3:1-3.

A Prayer about Praying for the Church

by | Sep 20, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Praying for the Church

How do you pray for your church? 

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  Ephesians 1:22-23

As we continue praying Ephesians 1:15-23, we also think about how to pray for our churches. 

Precious Lord,

We pray that every single saint (person set-apart in Christ) 

will understand how powerful you are to those who believe in you  (Ephesians 1:19):

[Name ways you see or need to see God’s power to the church in these days].

Mighty God, you “raised Christ from the dead 

and seated him in the place of honor 

at your right hand” (Ephesians 1:20).

He is there now, ruling and reigning with you. 

May we bow down to our heavenly King

far more than we bow down to our personal agendas.

May we remember that Christ is 

“far above all rule and authority and power and dominion”; 

in other words, he has defeated all evil and sin, 

and he will continue to defeat evil forces 

that rage against your church 

and to defeat sin in our lives 

until the day he comes again.

May we remember and live in the reality 

that the church is Christ’s body—

“it is made full and complete by Christ, 

who fills all things everywhere with himself” (Ephesians 1:23),

and may we worship joyfully 

in anticipation of the day 

when there will be perfect unity and love

in your church forever and ever. 

In Jesus’ reigning name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 1:15-23. 

A Prayer about How to Pray for Loved Ones

by | Sep 19, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about How to Pray for Loved Ones

Do you ever struggle to know what to pray for your loved ones? 

I pray for you constantly,  asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. Ephesians 1:16-17.

[Hi Friends, this is the first of two parts of praying Ephesians 1:15-23.]

Father of Glory,

Sometimes we don’t know how to pray for people I love, 

and then we remember that you’ve given us 

so many good prayers in your Word, 

like this one in Ephesians 1:15-23.

Today, we borrow these words 

to pray for our loved ones:

[try filling in the names of specific people in this prayer]

We thank you for [name’s] faith in Jesus Christ 

and [name’s] love for all of his people (Ephesians 1:15);

We ask you to give [name] 

the wisdom and insight 

that comes from our helper, the Holy Spirit

 and leads to a deep grasp

of God’s love for them (Ephesians 1:17),

We pray that the “eyes of [name’s] heart [would be] enlightened,” 

that is, that they would be empowered 

to understand and walk in the 

“confident hope you’ve given 

to those you’ve called” (Ephesians 1:18), 

and the immense wealth 

which is our “glorious inheritance” in Christ: 

riches like adoption of the Father, 

justification by faith, 

redemption from slavery to sin, 

and more, so much more!

In Jesus’ sacrificing name we ask.

Amen.

Read Ephesians 1:15-23.

A Prayer about Coming alongside Caregivers

by | Sep 18, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Coming alongside Caregivers

Do you know a caregiver who needs your help?

….four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on the mat, right down in front of Jesus. Mark 2:4.

Gentle Jesus,

Bring to mind the people we know 

who are acting as caregivers to the sick or disabled in this season. 

They often find themselves 

paralyzed with guilt or grief, 

with confusion and exhaustion. 

Show us how we can be like the four friends to them, 

laying them on the mat 

and breaking through barriers 

to bring them before you. 

May we serve them in practical ways, 

cooking meals and doing yard work, 

helping them navigate the insurance maze, 

staying with their loved one 

so they can make doctor’s appointments 

or go for a walk. 

May we serve them 

by listening to them,

by encouraging them to lament,

and by praying for and with them 

when they can’t find the words to pray. 

Help us, Lord, to have the faith and kindness 

of the paralytic’s mat-friends 

to bring our caregiving friends before you 

to ask you to heal and help them. 

In your caring name. Amen.

Read Mark 2:1-5. 

A Prayer about the Wonder of Christ Praying for Us

by | Sep 17, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Wonder of Christ Praying for Us

Are you amazed that Christ is praying for you right now?

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Interceding Lord,

We are awed to think that you are our chief prayer warrior!

Scripture tells us that you are interceding on our behalf 

right now with the Father, 

presenting us as righteous in your righteousness, 

cleansed by your blood. 

If we wonder what kinds of things you pray on our behalf, 

we can look to the “high priestly prayer” in John 17, 

the prayer you prayed over all disciples 

just before you went to the cross. 

You prayed that we would have eternal life, 

and you said that eternal life consisted 

in knowing your Father as the one, true God, 

and you as the glorified Son (John 17:3). 

You prayed that we would know 

that we belong to you as your treasured bride (John 17:6; Ephesians 5:22).

You prayed that we would be protected from the evil one (John 17:15).

You prayed that we would overflow with your joy (John 17:13).

You prayed that we would be sanctified, set apart by your holiness (John 17:16-19).

You prayed that we would share our hope in you with the hurting world (John 17:18).

You prayed that we would be unified with one another by our union with you.

You prayed that we would glow with your glory in that unity (John 17:24).

You prayed that we would spill over with the love of the Father for the Son and the Father for his people, so that the world may know the kindness of the Father and the love of the Son (John 17:26).

Jesus, by your Spirit, 

we ask that you would embolden us to pray 

for others and ourselves 

as you pray for us, 

that we may live your gospel beauty 

before a watching world. 

In your praying name we ask.Amen.

Read John 17. 

A Prayer about Forgiveness

by | Sep 16, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Forgiveness

Do you really believe in the forgiveness of sins?

 And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matthew 6:12

Holy God,

Forgive us for our disbelief in the forgiveness of sins.

As C. S. Lewis points out, 

In the Apostles Creed, 

we say that we believe in the forgiveness of sins. 

But if we affirm this truth with our minds and our mouths, 

we must examine the way we actually live. 

And when it comes down to it, 

much of our confession of sin 

is really making a case for ourselves 

about why our sin is excusable: 

“We are so anxious to point these (excuses) out to God (and to ourselves) 

that we are apt to forget 

the really important thing; 

that is, the bit left over…

the bit which is inexcusable, 

but not, Thank God, unforgivable.”* 

As Lewis points out, 

if we don’t really believe God will forgive us our sins, 

we live in anxiety. 

What we need is “real forgiveness,” 

which looks 

“steadily at the sin, 

the sin which is left over without any excuse…

and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness, and malice, 

and nevertheless being wholly reconciled 

to the man who has done it.”

Oh, Lord, you have indeed looked at our sin 

and seen it for what it is. 

And you have sent your Son to die 

for that very same sin. 

And because we are united to him by faith, 

we are fully reconciled to you. 

This is an astonishing truth, 

seemingly too good to be true, 

and yet not too good to be real.

In the name of our Savior we pray.

Amen. 

Read Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:9; Romans 1:18-2:1. Romans 5:6-11.

*This prayer inspired by C.S. Lewis’s essay “On Forgiveness,” in The Weight of Glory and Other Essays, 134-136.

**This prayer is part of a celebration of the two-year anniversary of the free online community, the NYD Network, which offers gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for issues of aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life. Why not join today or invite someone you love to join? (It’s FREE!) Link: https://numberingyourdaysnetwork.mn.co/share/B5q0dGGIOR0f996K?utm_source=manual