A Prayer about Why God Sent His Son

by Elizabeth | Jan 10, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, gratitude

A Prayer about Why God Sent His Son

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

Heavenly Father,

In these early days after Christmas,

may we not immerse ourselves in the whirl of the world

so fully that we lose our wonder

at the profoundly good news of the incarnation:

From the beginning,

even when his fingers were tiny

and his sounds were infant coos,

Jesus was born for one purpose:

that we, that the whole cosmos, might be “born again” (John 3:3).

“How shall that be,” the Jewish leader, Nicodemus,

asks?

Jesus explains in some of the better known words of the Word:

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in him

should not perish

but should have eternal life” (John 3:16).

This is the true gift of Christmas,

but it gets even better.

For all who have suffered the voices of contempt and condemnation,

who have hung their heads in shame,

you give more hope,

“For God did not send his Son

into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).

Oh, gracious and merciful Father,

what good news this is!

May we live and love out of it today and every day.

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read John 3:1-21.

A Prayer about Seeing the Light

by Elizabeth | Jan 5, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, gratitude, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Seeing the Light

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

Glorious God,

Though the twelfth day of Christmas

has come and gone,

the defrocked trees lie

dried and withered by the curb,

may we see the glory of Christ-with-us,

the good news that our light has come,

today and every day of this year.

Peel the scales from our eyes,

so we may see the light

that has overcome the thick darkness,

your grace, and your glory,

your mercy and your kindness to us

in Christ.

Indeed, may all “nations come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:3).

Open our eyes to see the great ingathering

of your people,

“the sons …come from afar…

the daughters carried on the hip…” (Isaiah 60:4).

Radiate our hearts with this good news

today and every day.

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 60:1-5.

A Prayer about Hope for Temptation

by Elizabeth | Jan 4, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Seasons & Holidays, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Hope for Temptation

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18

Lord Jesus,

We’re only five days into 2023,

and most of us have already broken

at least one New Year’s resolution,

if we even made them.

Worse still, we’ve all already succumbed to temptation—

to speak ill of a friend or an enemy,

to eat or drink more than is good

for the bodies you gave us,

to say “yes” when we should have said “no,”

or to say “no” when we should have said “yes.”

And yet, on this twelfth day of Christmas,

we take comfort in this passage (Hebrews 2:14-18).

You knew that in our humanity

we would struggle with temptation and sin,

so you took on our humanity—

everything except the sin.

You gave your human body,

sinless and righteous,

as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Because you did,

we who are in you,

are forever freed from the fear of death.

Not only that, we are freed from slavery

to the devil,

that we might become obedient like you.

And when we do struggle with temptation,

we have a Savior who can really help,

because you endured the pain and struggle

of temptation for us.

Encourage us today

to walk in your new morning mercy.

In your suffering name, Amen.

Read Hebrews 2:14-18.

A Prayer about Waiting for Redemption

by Elizabeth | Jan 1, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Seasons & Holidays

A Prayer about Waiting for Redemption

And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36

Heavenly Father,

What an attractive old woman Anna was.

She was widowed young,

after only seven years of marriage,

and then she spent the rest of her life single.

It would have been so easy to become bitter,

especially in a society in which widows

and single women were often outcasts.

And yet, you gave Anna the gift

we all most desire in this Christmas season,

the gift of believing redemption would come

in the midst of the broken story of her life,

of the lives of her people.

She spent years waiting for redemption,

watching for you,

waiting at your “home,” the temple,

believing you would show up there one day.

And she didn’t hide,

keeping her hope to herself—

she was a prophetess,

sharing the good news about you with others.

Lord, would you make us like Anna

as we await your second coming?

Would you transform our vision

so that what we solely seek

is your arrival?

Would you transform our tongues

so that what we simply speak of

is your salvation?

Would you even allow us today

to receive our King as Anna once did long long ago?

In Jesus’ returning name we ask. Amen.

Read Luke 2:36-38.

A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

by Elizabeth | Dec 30, 2022 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword shall pierce your soul also)…Luke 2:34-35

Comforting Father,

As this year draws to a close,

I know many look forward to a new year,

hoping that it will soften the harsh edges

of last year’s grief, looking forward to new joys.

May it be so.

And yet, as we consider the words of Simeon

to Mary and Joseph,

we see that the call of a Christian

is to know the abiding joy of our salvation

even as we suffer piercing swords in our souls.

Jesus was born to die.

We are called to be reborn to die—

to our consuming agendas,

to our self-salvation strategies,

to our demand for certainty and control.

Like Mary and Joseph,

we are always richly blessed

by our Savior.

Like Mary and Joseph,

we will at times endure piercing pain

as we follow our Savior.

May we embrace our calling

with hearts of hope,

knowing that our Savior

“endured the cross”

“for the joy set before him,”

the joy of making us your beloved children.

In the name of our Suffering Savior, Jesus,

we pray. Amen.

Read Luke 2:33-35.

A Prayer about Seeing Our Salvation

by Elizabeth | Dec 29, 2022 | Christmas, Christmas, Daily Prayer, kingdom living

A Prayer about Seeing Our Salvation

Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation…Luke 2:29

Merciful God,

As we revisit this scene between Simeon

and the eight-day-old Jesus,

we pray you would write in us stories like Simeon’s:

Filled with the Holy Spirit…

Made righteous by Christ…

Waiting for your consolation…

Watching for our Savior…

Seeing him as our one and only salvation…

Illuminating his glory to all the peoples…

Believing that he alone makes us ready to die in peace.

Knowing our Savior has come,

may we wait with confident hope

for the day he will come again

and restore us to himself.

In Jesus’ saving name,

Amen.

Read Luke 2:25-32.