A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

by Elizabeth | Jun 19, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching, Grief

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

I am shut in so I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow.

Psalm 88:9

Compassionate Father,

We don’t pray Psalm 88 enough,

and maybe that’s why we’re not very good at grief.

Today, we use the words of this dark yet hopeful Psalm

to cry out for ourselves or for friends

walking through agonizing losses:

For those who feel:

“You have caused my companions to shun me;

you have made me a horror to them” (Psalm 88:8),

come close in their isolation,

and send us as comfort in the flesh.

May we never shrink back from horrific suffering,

but may we enter into it with your grace and hope.

For those who feel: “I am a man (or woman) who has no strength” (Psalm 88:4),

soothe them with the rest they desperately need,

and provide the energy to do the things they must do.

Send us to lift them up,

whether in prayer or in service,

Most of all, Father,

help our friends to see that they’re not alone,

that you have supplied them with a great cloud of witnesses

to walk with them in this long and torturous journey.

In Jesus’ faithful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88:1-18.

A Prayer about the Perfect Father

by Elizabeth | Jun 17, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about the Perfect Father

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

Good and Faithful Father,

On this day

when some celebrate their earthly fathers

while some grieve fathers who’ve left this earth

and others long for the presence of a good father,

we thank you that you are a better father even

than this waiting father

in the story of the lost sons (Luke 15:11-32).

You have run to us through your Son;

you have embraced us by his death for our sins;

you have robed us in Christ’s righteousness;

you have kissed us and welcomed us home

because of your extravagant grace.

On this Father’s Day on earth,

let us remember that for those who belong to you,

every day is Father’s Day,

every day is a day to praise and thank you,

our good and glorious Father.

In your precious Son’s name. Amen.

Read Luke 15:11-32.

A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

by Elizabeth | Jun 12, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Father God,

What a kind promise:

Hope does not put us to shame…

Many of us have known the shame

of hoping for things on this earth—

hoping that our parents would get back together,

hoping that our wandering child would return to you,

hoping that we’d get that good job—

all good things to hope for,

and yet we’ve felt shame about those hopes disappointed.

You dare us to hope again,

promising that your love has been “poured into our hearts” (Romans 5:5).

Because of that love, even if our earthly hopes are disappointed,

our hopes for the future are secure.

One day, Jesus will return.

One day, you will wipe away tears shed on this earth.

One day, you welcome us warmly to your new heavens and new earth,

where all hopes are fulfilled in your glorious kingdom.

We can hardly wait for that day.

In Jesus’ hope-giving name we pray. Amen.

Read Romans 5:5; Revelation 21:1-5.

A Prayer about Holy Touch

by Elizabeth | Jun 11, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Holy Touch

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. Romans 16:16

Loving Father,

After being asked for a hug

by an elderly woman outside a senior center recently,*

I am more aware than ever of the “famine of touch”

many in our world experience.

Those of us who are married or who have children

may not give much thought

to how single and elderly people

may long for appropriate touch.

Pastor Sam Allberry tells us,

“Churches should provide a remedy [to the famine of touch]

by being a place where healthy and appropriate touch is encouraged.”**

Lord, may we become specialists at “gospel touch,”

which Pastor Zack Eswine describes as

“meant to resemble the touch normatively appropriate

between family members….”

Because many of us have been harmed by abusive touch,

may we remember and guard against

“abusive, neglectful, presumptuous, or sensual touch

[which] has no place in the tender touch of gospel life and ministry.”***

Help us, Lord, to recover

a view of the body

and of holy touch

that accords with your view.

In the name of Jesus who became flesh for us.

Amen.

Read John 1:14; 2 John 12; Psalm 139:13-14.

*To read the whole story about this hug, go to https://elizabethturnagenumberingdays.substack.com/ and look for the column “Story Feast.”

**To think more about how God made our bodies for touch, see Sam Allberry’s excellent book, What God Has to Say about Our Bodies.

***Quoted in Allberry, 192.

A Prayer about Not Trusting in Our Own Righteousness

by Elizabeth | Jun 10, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Not Trusting in Our Own Righteousness

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt….Luke 18:9

Merciful God,

Open our hearts and show us any ways

we “trust in ourselves,”

any ways we think we are “righteous”—

thoughts like, “I’m a pretty good person,”

or “I went to church five times this month,”

or “I gave a lot of money to that homeless ministry.”

Open our hearts to show us

any ways we “treat others with contempt” —

things like, “I can’t believe she wore that to church,”

or “What a jerk to cheat on his taxes!”

or “I’m glad I never have committed any of the big sins like so-and-so.”

Lord, you have made it clear—

We must come to you with bottomless humility,

a deep awareness of we can do nothing “good” without you.

Show us our sin, large and small,

and send us to our knees,

begging your forgiveness,

grateful for your mercy.

In your humble and exalted name. Amen.

Read Luke 18:9-14.

A Prayer about the Profound Peace God Gives

by Elizabeth | Jun 8, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about the Profound Peace God Gives

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

God of Peace,

When my kids were young,

with four children in six years,

sometimes all I wanted was a little peace and quiet.

Nothing wrong with a little peace and quiet,

but may we never forget that your peace

is something far richer, far more wonderful.

Your peace, in Hebrew, is shalom,

a state of “universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight.”*

This shalom gives rise to wonder, awe, and joy,

at the God who brings it.

After Adam and Eve sinned,

the world, and all who lived in it,

fell into a state of disorder,

a state of chaos,

in which disease and division and dissension ruled the day.

But you, the God of peace,

sent Jesus, our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6),

to give us peace with you (Romans 5:1).

Because Jesus died for our sins,

we who trust in him for salvation,

are reconciled with you (Romans 5:10).

Now, united to Christ,

we live in his legacy of peace,

of wholeness, flourishing, and delight.

And even as we are still troubled at times by this fallen world,

we look forward to the day

when Christ our peace will return

to fully restore all peace.

In that day, we will live forever in harmony

with you and with others.

Thank you for being our peace

today and every day until that day.

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read John 14:25-27; Romans 16:20; Isaiah 26:3; Romans 5:1-11.

See Cornelius Plantinga’s book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin