A Prayer about Never Dying

by | Mar 21, 2023 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Easter, Lent

A Prayer about Never Dying

Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ John 11:25-26

Lord Jesus,

How I love the true story 

in which you asked your beloved friend Martha this crucial question. 

Her brother, Lazarus has died, 

and she knows that you could have saved him, 

but you didn’t. 

Now he lies in a tomb, 

and she has the faith to say, 

“But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, 

God will give you” (John 11:22).

And you made this bold assertion: 

“Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). 

But you didn’t stop there. 

You revealed your true identity to Martha: 

‘I am the resurrection and the life.’ 

And you promised that anyone who believes in you 

will never die (John 11:25-26). 

Jesus, as we walk toward Resurrection Sunday, 

may we see you, the risen and ascended Jesus, 

not only risen from the dead 

but seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven (Hebrews 10:12). 

And may we address this most crucial question: 

“Do we believe this?” 

It is truly a matter of eternal life and eternal death. 

By your grace, may we believe.

Read John 11:1-44. 

A Prayer about What Makes Life Last

by | Mar 20, 2023 | Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Lent

A Prayer about What Makes Life Last

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3

Everlasting God, 

In a year when close to fifty thousand people have died in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria,

when hundreds of thousands have died in the war in Ukraine, 

and when we are all frequently touched by the deaths of loved ones, 

people are more desperate than ever 

to know what makes life last. 

Some say, 

“Science and medicine can make life last”; 

others shrug and say, 

“Whatever, it’s all going to end, so live for today”; 

still others say, 

“You do you. That’s where you find life—within.”

You say…

“There’s only one way: 

Jesus… ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6).”

You say…

“Having an intimate relationship with Jesus 

is eternal life, 

life that begins here on earth 

and lasts forever.”

You said…

“I’ll bet my Son’s life on it.”

We say,

“Thanks be to God!”

In Jesus’ true and saving name. Amen. 

Read John 17:1-5; John 14:6; John 1:4-5.

A Prayer about Sharing Our Stories

by | Mar 19, 2023 | Daily Prayer, legacy, Lent

A Prayer about Sharing Our Stories

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

Author God,

What exciting stories of redemption 

you have written in our lives. 

Every day of our life, 

may we live to tell that story, 

in our deeds and in our words.

May we also be intentional 

about the legacies we leave 

for the next generation of believers, 

writing and recording the stories 

of how you have performed 

your mighty acts in our lives. 

Help us to make time to write these stories, 

or if we are unable to write them, 

to record them through video or audio, 

the story of when and how you drew us to yourself, 

the story of when you picked us up when we had fallen down (Psalm 145:14), 

the story of how you provided for us out of your “abundant goodness” (Psalm 145: 7), 

the story of how your power worked miraculous changes (Psalm 145:11), 

[name a story of God’s work you’d like to tell.]

As we write and record these stories, 

give us the courage to share them with others, 

that they too might be inspired to tell the story 

of your wonderful goodness, 

that all might know the hope of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Amen. 

Read Psalm 145. 

 

A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

by | Mar 18, 2023 | Daily Prayer, gratitude, Lent

A Prayer about the Hope for Sins, Transgressions, and Iniquities

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:3

God of Abundant Mercy,

We return to David’s prayer of confession today 

to name our own sins, transgressions, and iniquities:

We know our transgression—

ways we’ve crossed the line, 

taken your good gifts and turned them into demands.

[Name some ways you’ve crossed the line.]

We need cleansing from our sin—

ways we’ve fallen short 

of the high mark Jesus set 

for loving our friends, family, neighbors, and enemies.

[Name some ways you’ve fallen short of the love Jesus commands.]

We need to be washed thoroughly from our iniquity—

our distorted way of seeing the world and walking in it, 

for indeed, we were born in iniquity (Psalm 51:2; 5).

[Name some ways your view of God’s world is distorted.]

We know our desperate need for a Savior, 

and we thank you and praise you 

for the perfectly righteous One you sent, 

who died that we may be washed 

“whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

In Jesus’ freeing name. Amen. 

(Thanks to ligonier.org for their helpful article, “What is the difference between sin, transgression, and iniquity?”).

A Prayer about God Hiding His Face From Sin

by | Mar 17, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Lent

A Prayer about God Hiding His Face From Sin

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Psalm 51:9

Most Merciful God,

What a bold and beautiful legacy of confession 

King David left us in Psalm 51.

David’s is one of the better known 

sin-stories of Scripture: 

he committed adultery with Bathsheba, 

impregnating her, 

and then killed her husband 

in a cover-up attempt (2 Samuel 11-12). 

And yet, you called David a man after your own heart 

and taught us how to confess our most miserable sins, 

transgressions, and iniquities 

through his prayer of confession.

For you, our holy God, 

to look on sin is to punish it. 

So David asks you to turn your face away. 

His prayer predicts the moment 

you would turn your face away 

from your beloved Son 

as he died on the cross 

for every sin we would ever commit.

Because you turned away 

from your Son 

in that moment, 

Jesus blotted out all of our iniquities (Psalm 51:9), 

and you will never hide your face 

from those who belong to him.

What steadfast love and mercy is this! 

What a God, what a Savior!

In Jesus’ cleansing name. Amen.

Read Psalm 51. 

A Prayer about Not Being Offended by Jesus

by | Mar 16, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Easter, Gospel living, Lent

A Prayer about Not Being Offended by Jesus

And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.’ And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57-58

Lord Jesus,

In these days leading up to Easter, 

draw us to examine our hearts. 

As we read of people in your hometown 

wanting to throw you off a cliff (Luke 4:29) 

because they were so disappointed in you, 

we need to ask ourselves,

Do we ever take offense at you?

Do we have expectations 

of what you should do, 

of who you should be?

Do we sometimes miss out 

on your “mighty works…

because of [our] unbelief?” (Matthew 13:58). 

Do we know you so well 

that we start to take you for granted, 

that we fail to honor you? 

May it never be! 

Lord, show us our unbelief. 

Transform our hearts into megaphones 

maximizing our praise and honor of you, 

our glorious King.

In your saving name. Amen. 

Read Matthew 13:53-58.