A Prayer about the Wisdom We So Desperately Need

by | Jul 1, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Wisdom We So Desperately Need

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Proverbs 9:10

Awesome God,

In this confusing and chaotic world, 

how desperately  we need your wisdom. 

Parents need your wisdom to know how to

help their children stay safe and on a wise path; 

adult children need your wisdom to know how to 

talk to their parents about letting go of the car keys; 

bosses need your wisdom to know how to 

steward their employees’ gifts, 

Patients need your wisdom 

to know which course of treatment to pursue.

and on and on…

Whoever we are, 

whatever our situation, 

we need your wisdom, 

whether we realize it or not. 

May we first realize that it is your wisdom we need, 

and then may we turn to you to find it. 

When we “fear” you, 

that is live in awe of you, 

live in gratitude of you, 

live seeking your Word, 

live listening to pastors and ministry leaders and wiser friends, 

you promise, 

we will grow in your wisdom. 

It is indeed through you, 

as Eugene Peterson puts it, 

that [our] life deepens, 

and the years of [our] life ripen. 

May we “live wisely” 

so that “wisdom will permeate [our] lives.” (Proverbs 9: 11, The MSG). 

Read Proverbs 9. 



A Prayer about Walking in the Spirit

by | Jun 27, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Walking in the Spirit

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Merciful Lord,

Sin has twisted us, 

contorting our desires 

so that we limp along, 

trying out crutches 

like sex and drink 

and gossip and envy 

and strife and shopping (Galatians 5:19-21)

which will never fully heal us. 

Indeed, our hearts were made 

to walk in the Spirit 

and to live in the Spirit. 

The Spirit heals our sin-twisted hearts and minds and bodies 

by assuring us of your 

unbelievable 

undeserved 

unending 

love. 

Transformed by this love, 

we run the way you meant us to, 

in love, joy, peace, patience, 

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

In Christ’s crucifying name. Amen.

Read Galatians 5:16-26.



A Prayer about Meditating on the Wondrous Works of God

by | Jun 26, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Meditating on the Wondrous Works of God

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Psalm 145:5

Our God and Our King,

Thank you for the words of Psalm 145

to give voice to our awe and gratitude 

at the wondrous works you have done. 

If we will pause to meditate, 

to chew on, 

to consider, 

to really think about…

YOU…

We will want to praise you, 

celebrate you, 

glorify you, 

in short…

tell everyone how great you are, 

so great that we can’t even figure you out, 

So great that we can’t even fully understand 

how great you are. 

And yet, we know your greatness 

when we see it, 

especially through your wondrous works—

Your mighty acts…[Name some of the Lord’s mighty acts in your life.] (Psalm 145:4)

Your glorious splendor…{Name some of the ways you see God’s splendor.] (Psalm 145:5)

Your awesome deeds…{Name some of the awesome deeds God has done.] (Psalm 145:6)

Your grace and mercy…[Name some of the ways you’ve seen God’s grace and mercy.] (Psalm 145:8).

Today, gracious and abundantly good God, 

we join with all of your works 

to give you thanks! (Psalm 145:10).

In Jesus’ righteous and loving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 145:1-13.



A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

by | Jun 23, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Stilling Our Souls

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

Heavenly Father,

We live in a hectic, busy, noisy world. 

Screens blink at us, 

notifications ding and ping and ring, 

demanding our attention, 

now! 

Our world shouts at us 

to do more and do it fast. 

Thank you for the permission to say “no,” 

to not be concerned with matters 

too far beyond us (Psalm 131:1). 

Help us, we pray, 

to be intentional 

about calming our souls 

by trusting in you.

Help us to quiet 

the noisy, driven beat 

of our hearts that differs 

so loudly 

from the steady, gentle rhythm 

you orchestrated. 

Help us to still ourselves 

like a weaned child

in your loving embrace, 

perfectly at rest, 

knowing that you have provided 

and will continue to provide all of our needs.

In Jesus’ hope-full name. Amen.

Read Psalm 131.



A Prayer about the Laughter of Hope

by | Jun 22, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Laughter of Hope

“God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me” (Genesis 21:6). 

Surprising Lord,

At some point, we’ve all felt the despair Sarah felt 

after years of waiting for the child you had promised, 

after any physiological hope for a baby was past, 

and if we’re honest, 

we’ve tried our own sinful fixes 

to get what we believe you want for us. 

And yet, Lord, you continue to pursue us. 

You come to Sarah (and us), 

you challenge her (and us): 

“Why did Sarah laugh and say, 

‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 

Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). 

Like Sarah, we deny our denial of hope, 

but you are firm: 

“No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). 

Time goes by, 

and your seed of hope planted in us blooms 

into something beautiful, 

just as Sarah’s barren womb gave birth to Isaac. 

And we join Sarah in proclaiming, 

“God has made laughter for me; 

everyone who hears will laugh over me” (Genesis 21:6). 

Help us today to remember 

all of the times 

you have brought laughter out of our despair, 

and help us to hope again.

In Jesus’ surprising name. Amen. 

Read Genesis 16, 18, 21:1-7.



A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

by | Jun 18, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Gracious Father,

Forgive me (us) for underestimating the power of your grace. 

Your grace is not a Southern woman with “nice manners.” 

Your grace is not a little token of appreciation. 

Your grace is not a souvenir from Switzerland.

Your grace is the powerful and profound gift 

of hauling a sinful people out of the suffocating mudpit 

of our own making. 

Your grace came at the high cost 

of the life of your perfectly righteous Son. 

Your grace not only paid the unpayable debt of our sin 

but also imparted to us the righteousness of your Son. 

Your grace is not a trickle little creek of grace 

but a glacier waterfall of grace

pouring over us and through us, 

carving the blunt edges off our rocky hearts 

until they soften into the shape 

of our loving Savior’s heart. 

Your grace will never run out 

and will finish its perfect work in us 

until the day our Savior returns.

Oh, Lord, may we never underestimate 

the profound power of your grace again. 

In Jesus’ grace-pouring name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; John 1:16-17; Titus 2:11-14.