A Prayer about Encouragement for the Faint-Hearted

by Elizabeth | Apr 29, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Encouragement for the Faint-Hearted

Encourage the fainthearted, and help the weak… 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Heavenly Father,

At times, our burdens become so great

that we struggle

to pray,

to believe,

to hope.

At such times,

we thank you for the church,

the community of believers

called to bear our burdens with us (Galatians 6:2).

I remember when my kids were small

and we had to walk a long way,

my husband would sometimes lift them on his shoulders to give their weary legs a rest.

From high above,

they gained new perspective

and a much-needed rest.

In the same way,

as we “encourage the fainthearted and help the weak,” may we give them

the rest they desperately need.

May we believe for them

when they are struggling with doubt.

May we hope for them

when they are weary of waiting for redemption.

May we endure hardship with them

as they suffer.

Lord, if we are the ones

needing a rest,

may we reach out for it

and receive it.

Lord, if we are the ones called and strengthened

to give that rest,

lead us to your weary ones who need it.

In Jesus’ burden-bearing name. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 6:2.

A Prayer about the Necessity of Christian Community

by Elizabeth | Apr 26, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Necessity of Christian Community

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…

2 Corinthians 5:18

Reconciling Father,

Yesterday, we prayed about

your treasured gift of Christian community,

today, we remember its necessity.

You could have shared the message of the gospel without us,

but you designed us to serve you by spreading the good news.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,

“But God put his Word into the mouth of human beings

so that it may be passed on to others….

[You have] willed that we should seek and find

God’s living Word in the testimony of other Christians.”*

This is why we must seek out face-to-face fellowship

with those who know and love the good news of the gospel.

Because the “Christ in my heart is weaker

than the Christ in the word of other Christians.”*

Thank you for that sister who spoke up in Sunday school,

sharing her favorite verse;

thank you for how her words reminded me

that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Thank you for our faithful Bible study leaders,

who study the lesson and draw us to see the truths in your Word

we would never have seen on our own.

Thank you, of course, for our faithful pastors and ministry leaders,

who work so hard to preach and teach the gospel week after week,

year after year.

Our hearts are indeed “uncertain”

when we are left to ourselves;

with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we become sure.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.

This prayer inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together. Quotes from page 32.

A Prayer about the Treasure of Christian Community

by Elizabeth | Apr 25, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Treasure of Christian Community

I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 2 John 12

Gracious God,

Creator of Christian community,

help us to marvel at the good gift

of face-to-face fellowship

with other believers.

In recent years,

we learned how privileged we are

to be able to gather safely together

with the body of Christ.

After the season of social distancing,

it took some of us awhile

to get used to being together again,

and it can still be tempting

to “watch the livestream”

rather than to get up, get dressed, and get to church.

Oh, Lord, may it not be so!

Help us to understand

what imprisoned theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood

when he wrote, “visible community is grace.”*

Help us to see that face-to-face fellowship

is a foretaste of the day

when you will

“gather us in…

for you have redeemed us” (see Zechariah 10:8-9).

Help us to remember that

“we belong to one another

only through and in Jesus Christ.”

Help us to remember

that Jesus broke down the dividing wall of hostility

that we might be united,

as one community in Christ,

for all of eternity.

One day soon we will see Jesus face to face,

but until then,

may we enjoy your wonder-full gift

of face-to-face fellowship

with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

In Jesus’ uniting name. Amen.

Read Zechariah 10:8-12; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; Psalm 42:4; Ephesians 2:14-18.

*This prayer was inspired and informed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s great book, Life Together. First quote is from p. 28 and second from p. 33.

A Prayer about Bearing One Another’s Burdens

by Elizabeth | Apr 16, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Merciful God,

How exquisitely you have designed your church,

the body of Christ.

You have called us to share our weakness

with you and with one another,

and you tell us that in that weakness

we find our greatest strength

—strength in dependence on Christ,

strength in dependence on one another (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Today, I pray especially for those in our body who are weak—

the bereft grieving the loss of a loved one,

the caregiver serving a loved one through many hard days,

the sick and frail struggling with illness, whether physical or mental….

[Name some weak people you would like to pray for….]

May we truly lift them up, not only in prayer but in service, by bearing their burdens—listening without trying to fix, bringing meals or mowing lawns, forgiving their irritability…

[Name some ways you might bear the burdens of someone who is weak….]

We pray too, that you would empower the weak

with the humility and grace required

to receive the loving care of the body of Christ.

In Jesus’ burden-bearing name. Amen.

Read Galatians 6:1-10.

A Prayer about the Love that Binds Us Together

by Elizabeth | Feb 11, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Love that Binds Us Together

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

Lover of our Soul,

This Sabbath day, as we celebrate your love

for your Bride, the Church,

and our love and gratitude for saving us,

we pray for your healing and help

that we may love one another well.

In the past several years,

we’ve seen more disharmony in the church

than at any time in recent history.

Forgive us. Help us and heal us.

Our hope lies in you,

the God of “endurance and encouragement” (Romans 15:7).

By your Spirit, transform us

so we may live as your Bride, the Church,

in harmony with one another,

glorifying you (Romans 15:7-8).

One day soon, our perfect Bridegroom will return,

and we will all celebrate

at the greatest wedding feast ever enjoyed (Revelation 19:7).

By your grace, may we live and love

in eager anticipation of that day, starting today.

Read Romans 15:1-7; Revelation 19:7; Ephesians 5:25-27.

A Prayer about the Wrong Kind of Unity

by Elizabeth | Jan 11, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer

A Prayer about the Wrong Kind of Unity

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:4

Merciful Lord,

In this true story of your people building themselves a city and a tower,

we see the root of our sin:

trying to make a name for ourselves.

Your people, whom you had commanded to “be fruitful and multiply,”

to fill the earth with your glory,

were united in the wrong purpose:

they sought to build their own glory.

You saw this wrong kind of unity,

and you said, “Behold, they are one people,

and they have all one language,

and this is only the beginning of what they will do.

And nothing that they propose

will now be impossible for them” (Gen. 11:6).

And yet, even in dispersing the people across the earth,

you continued your plan of redemption.

One day, you would send your Son to unite your people,

to bring “near” those who were once “far off,”

to tear down “the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2:14),

to make all who would trust in you

“fellow citizens and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).

And one day “soon,”

your Son our Savior will return

to bring the glory of all the nations into our eternal home,

the new heavens and the new earth.

Because you did what was impossible through your Son,

may we daily seek to glorify you.

In Jesus’ uniting name. Amen.