A Prayer about the Gift of Prayer

by | May 14, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Gift of Prayer

….one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say:….’ Luke 11:1-2

Holy Father,

Thank you for the gift of prayer.

Grow our understanding of the power and richness of prayer.

Even as we pray for you to change circumstances in others’ lives, 

may we also pray for you to change their hearts about these circumstances:

So, even as we pray,

“Lord, please bless my friend’s business,” 

we can also pray, 

“Lord, please give my friend faith that you will provide for her in this business….”

Even as we pray,

“Lord, please heal my friend from chronic pain,” 

we can also pray, 

“Lord, please sustain my friend’s hope in this hard season….”

Even as we pray,

“Lord, please bring my friend’s daughter back home,” 

we can also pray, 

“Lord, please help my friend forgive her daughter for causing so much pain….”

[Name some prayers of your own following this model….]

Thank you Lord, for the privilege of prayer. 

Please shape us more and more 

into the image of your Son as we learn to pray. 

In Jesus’ praying name. Amen. 

Read Luke 11:1-13.



A Prayer about the Transforming Work of the Spirit

by | May 13, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Transforming Work of the Spirit

….that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being… Ephesians 3:16

Risen Jesus,

Thank you for sending your Spirit as our Helper. 

No shriveled weakling is your Spirit; 

indeed, your Spirit strengthens us 

with a superpower far surpassing 

Superman’s or Wonderwoman’s. 

Your Spirit raises us 

right out of our spiritual death. 

Your Spirit softens hard hearts. 

Your Spirit renews our inner beings. 

Your Spirit roots your love deep 

in the once-rocky soil 

of our heart, soul, mind, and body. 

Your Spirit transforms us, 

that we may bear the fruit of being grafted into you: 

We walk in your love; 

we share your joy; 

we seek your peace; 

we wait with your patience; 

we move in your kindness; 

we reflect your goodness; 

we trust with your faithfulness; 

we touch with your gentleness; 

we resist with your self-control. 

Oh, yes, Lord, how we thank you 

for leaving your Spirit as our best Help!

In your kind name we pray. Amen.

Read Ephesians 3:14-21; John 14:15-17; Galatians 5:22-26.



A Prayer about Battling the True Enemy

by | May 12, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Battling the True Enemy

O God, do not remain silent;

Do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. Psalm 83:1

Mighty God,

We lift up all 

who are in a fierce battle with enemies. 

Remind us that our true enemy 

is the enemy, 

the evil one who growls and prowls, 

our vicious foe 

who rears his beastly head, 

conspiring with cunning against us, 

your people (Psalm 83:2-3). 

The evil one seeks 

to destroy relationships you have forged; 

the evil one seeks to puncture hope 

you have breathed into us; 

the evil one seeks to ruin beauty 

you have allowed us to be a part of creating….

May we see you in action:

You are not silent.

You are not turning a deaf ear.

You are not standing aloof.

You are making the evil one like “whirling dust” (Psalm 83:13).

You are consuming the evil one as a fire consumes a forest (Psalm 83:14). 

You are filling the evil one’s face with shame (Psalm 83:17).

One day, you will toss the devil deceiver  

into the lake of fire, and evil will be no more (Revelation 20:10).

As we see your might defeating evil, 

help us to hope and pray for healing 

and reconciliation with our earthly enemies. 

In Jesus’ victorious name. Amen.

Read Psalm 83. 



A Prayer about Waiting with Eager Hope

by | May 11, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Waiting with Eager Hope

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

 Romans 8:25

Gracious God,

Thank you for giving us every reason to hope, 

even as we wait in difficult circumstances—

Some of us are waiting for healing of our bodies, 

others are waiting for healing of relationships, 

others are waiting for healing of injustice.

The clock is ticking, 

and redemption seems to take forever 

in this fallen world. 

And yet, you have promised us 

that one day “the sufferings of this present time” 

will not be “worth comparing 

to the glory that is to be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). 

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, 

you have secured that promise. 

One day, indeed, all suffering will cease, 

and we will be like Jesus, 

because we will see him as he really and truly is (1 John 3:2). 

May we savor this hope 

even as we “wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:25).

In Jesus’ hope-giving name. Amen.

Read Romans 8:18-25.



A Prayer about Gratitude for Children

by | May 10, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Gratitude for Children

And Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ Matthew 19:14

Heavenly Father,

On this Mother’s Day,

I am counting my blessings

for how you have worked through my children 

to humble me, to shape me, to redeem me. 

Whether we have children or not, 

may we recognize their value, 

not in the child-centric way our culture does, 

but in the Jesus-centric way the Bible demonstrates. 

The disciples tried to shoo the children away 

when parents brought them to Jesus, 

but Jesus corrected them, 

saying that the “kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). 

Why? Why does the kingdom of God belong to people like children? 

Because healthy children

fully understand their dependence on their parents to supply all their needs. 

Because healthy children 

don’t think it’s all up to them to make things happen; 

Because healthy children 

don’t think they’re the ones in control of their own lives (except for three-year-olds);

and because healthy children 

don’t think they’re stronger than they are. 

Healthy children turn to their parents for help, comfort, and hope;

Healthy children do what their parents tell them to do (most of the time), 

believing their parents have their good in mind.

We are your children, 

the children of the only perfect parent.

May we come to you as healthy children would. 

In Jesus’ name. Amen. 



A Prayer about the Joy of God’s Presence

by | May 9, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Joy of God’s Presence

You make known to me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of joy    Psalm 16:11

Joy-full Father, 

We want to live lives full of joy, 

but we admit, we are often confused 

about what that means and how to do it. 

First of all, our world tells us to “be happy,” 

and to be happy in our world 

often means having happy circumstances — 

fulfilling work, 

a happy marriage, 

teenagers who adore you and us, 

grandchildren who call us every week. 

Second, we’re busy. 

We have such full lives 

that it’s hard to slow down 

and look to you for the joy 

we can only find in you.

Help us, Lord, 

to “cease striving and know that you are God” (Ps. 46:10), 

to obey your command to rest, 

because when we do, 

we enjoy your presence 

and see your beauty. 

Help us, Lord, 

to remember that happy circumstances 

are sweet gifts from you, 

not something we deserve or demand.

Help us, Lord,

to remember the greatest gift is 

your love, 

your delight, 

and your presence. 

All of these gifts come from your Son, Jesus, 

and your Spirit, our comforter and counselor. 

Help us, Lord,

To look to your right hand, 

where Jesus sits on the throne, 

and to know that we will soon join Jesus 

in our heavenly kingdom, 

and there we will find “pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11b).

Amen.