A Prayer about Being a Peace-Publisher

by Elizabeth | Dec 19, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Being a Peace-Publisher

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness… Isaiah 52:7

Lord God,

What a happy calling you have given us

as your church:

To bring good news,

to publish peace,

to bring good news of happiness,

to publish salvation,

to share the peace

that comes when “God reigns” (Isaiah 52:7).

We have long

longed for the peace

you made possible

through your King:

relief from every anxiety

about work, health, home, family,

joy in every effort

to bring beauty to broken places,

kindness and gentleness and forgiveness

in every difficult relationship,

flourishing throughout your earth.

As we worship you in our churches today,

empower and embolden us,

through the peace-producing work

of your Spirit,

to be people

who bring peace far and wide,

people who make peace known

in our lips and in our lives.

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 52:1-10.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about Monday Motivation before Christmas

by Elizabeth | Dec 18, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Joy, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Monday Motivation before Christmas

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing. Psalm 100:1–2

Almighty God,

As the final week of Advent begins,

may we put making a “joyful noise” to you

at the top, middle, and bottom

of our to-do lists.

Even as we go about preparing

to celebrate the coming of Christ,

may we focus first

on serving you with gladness.

May we not sing along mindlessly

with Christmas music,

but instead notice

our many reasons for rejoicing,

“Rejoice, rejoice,

Emmanuel shall come to thee,

O Israel” (“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”),

“Joy to the world,

the Lord is come!” (“Joy to the World”)

“O come all ye faithful,

joyful and triumphant” (“O Come All Ye Faithful”).

Lord, because you have made us in your image,

and because you have made us anew

in Christ,

we ask that you will make us

joyful,

believing that your zeal will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7).

In Jesus’ joyful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 100.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about What Jesus Came to Do

by Elizabeth | Dec 17, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about What Jesus Came to Do

The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. 1 Samuel 2:7-8.

Holy and Just God,

You bring death, and you bring life –

Thank you for bringing death to sin in our lives;

Thank you for bringing us new life in Jesus.

You bring poverty, and you bring wealth;

Thank you for showing us

that our accomplishments or lack thereof,

our right-ness or lack thereof —

are not what make you value us;

Thank you for making us wealthy

as your adopted children in Christ.

Father, from generation to generation,

you care for your faithful ones

Thank you for protecting us in our every step.

You put stumbling blocks in the path of the sinner;

Thank you for rescuing us from the miry road,

where we were ever stuck in sin;

Thank you for setting us on the way

of those who trust in you.

Holy, Just, and Merciful God,

you know our world is a wreck:

You know the terror,

you know the divisiveness,

you know the hatred.

Thank you for sending your King,

the only ruler who can truly restore peace on earth.

We are glad he has come,

and we pray he will come again soon

to establish your shalom finally and forever.

In the name of the holy infant, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about Making Room for Jesus

by Elizabeth | Dec 16, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Making Room for Jesus

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Lord Jesus,

Sometimes I think the innkeeper has gotten a bad rap

in all of our Christmas programs

for not making room for the baby Jesus.

After all, if he had known

the Messiah would be born in his inn,

wouldn’t he have found him a room?

As I consider his story and the busy days of the Christmas season,

I pray that we will see who you really are—

the Messiah, the King of Kings,

who humbled yourself to take on humanity,

who submitted to being born in a stable

and laid in a feeding trough.

I pray that we will make room for you

in our noisy hearts.

Still us and silence us

that we might hear your kind invitation

into the space of forgiveness,

into the deepest, truest love

we have ever known.

By your Spirit, move us toward you,

the one who came to live among us

that we might live forever with you.

In your hospitable name.

Amen.

Read Luke 2:1-7; Psalm 46:10.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about Waiting at Christmas

by Elizabeth | Dec 15, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays, Suffering

A Prayer about Waiting at Christmas

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Coming Savior,

In this season of “advent,”

as we remember your first coming,

we anticipate many things,

some eagerly, some anxiously.

Some of us are waiting eagerly for family members to arrive

or to give a special surprise we have long planned

or to sing Silent Night at the Christmas Eve service.

All of those are sweet things to look forward to.

Others of us are quite literally in waiting rooms

as a loved one undergoes surgery

or in waiting seasons wondering when we will get a new job

or weeping as we continue to mourn a lost loved one

and wondering when the pain will pass.

Whether we are anticipating the many joys of this season

or weeping as we wait for renewed hope,

may we never forget that we are waiting for you to come again.

May we be strong in your strength,

may we take heart in your consolation,

knowing that you are “coming soon,”

and that when you come,

you will bring the perfect peace and joy

this season is really all about.

We will know intimacy with you and with others

as we have never known before.

We will know the rest of never struggling with sin again.

We will know the joy of serving you

in the best work you’ve designed us for—

to multiply your glory forever and ever.

Today, we will focus our hearts

and our hopes on the horizon,

looking for your next appearing.

In your en-couraging name we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 27; Revelation 21 and 22.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.

A Prayer about a Baby Who Took on Our Burden

by Elizabeth | Dec 14, 2022 | Advent, Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about a Baby Who Took on Our Burden

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Isaiah 9:4

Lord Jesus,

Many of us will probably see at least one nativity scene today.

If we do, or even if we don’t,

pause us in our busyness

to wonder about this remarkable story:

This baby lying in a manger would be you,

our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

You, our Prince of Peace,

would be the warrior

who brought peace for us

and for the cosmos

by dying on a cross.

You, our Prince of Peace,

would deliver us

from the oppression of evil and sin.

You, our Prince of Peace,

would free us

from the burden of guilt and shame.

You, our Prince of peace,

would beckon us to come to you,

to be yoked (united) to you,

and to know the rest only you can bring.

May we truly marvel at this wonder

and find our rest in you today.

In your peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 9:1-7.

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.