A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

by | Sep 7, 2023 | Bible study, Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

Luke 2:36 

Answering God, 

How we thank you for the story of Anna, 

the 84-year-old widow who had known deep suffering. 

In her world, losing a husband meant losing everything — 

financial provision, status, power. 

And yet, Anna, who lost her husband after only seven years of marriage, 

by your grace, 

chose not to become embittered by suffering, 

staying close to you in the temple, 

listening to your Word, 

worshiping you, 

fasting and praying, 

“night and day.” 

May we follow Anna’s lead when life seems out of control—

When our adult children make decisions we disagree with,

When our grandchildren make mayhem of their young lives,

When our bodies make a mess of our plans to age gracefully….

Let us pray.

As we pray, our faith grows: 

we remember the countless stories of your redemption.

As we pray, our hope grows: 

we envision the redemption that will come in the midst of hard stories.

As we pray, our love grows: 

we live out Christ’s love in a way that invites the hurting to come to you.

In prayer, we learn to wait well for your redemption.

In prayer, we hear your astounding answer, 

redemption in Christ,

And we begin to pray again, 

thanking you for your kindness 

sharing the good news of Christ with others. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Luke 2:36-38.



A Prayer about Living like We’re Dying

by | Sep 5, 2023 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Living like We’re Dying

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Heavenly Father, 

In the novel I just read, 

a professor gives her college English students a short essay question: 

“What would you do if you knew 

you only had forty days left to live?”*

At its core, this is what Psalm 90:12 asks us to do, 

to “number our days,” 

to recognize that our earthly days have a limit, 

that our lives have an expiration date. 

We ask you to teach us, 

to show us how,

to remind us, 

to number our days, 

because when we do so, 

we get “a heart of wisdom.” 

We become 

forgiving, honoring, lamenting,

vulnerable, grateful, humble people, 

people who know the depths of your love for us 

and who can’t wait to share that love with others.

So today we ask you to help us to think or to journal, 

if only for a few minutes, 

about how we would spend our days 

if we only had forty of them left.

Read Psalm 71, Psalm 90; Psalm 92.

*From Book 3 of the Sensible Shoes Series by Sharon Garlough Brown.


A Prayer about Honoring the Aging

by | Sep 4, 2023 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Honoring the Aging

The glory of the young is their strength;

the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.

Proverbs 20:29


   Everlasting Father,

In a world that often marginalizes or mocks the elderly, 

transform us into people who honor and value the elderly.

Even as we age, may we see your holy purposes for aging—

some may no longer have the energy to tend to babies all night long, 

but they do wake up in the night, 

and they can pray for those who do.

Some may no longer have the physical agility 

to perform skilled labor, 

but they do have years of experience 

and can teach those who do.

Some may no longer have the responsibilities 

of running a business, 

but they do have the ability and wisdom 

to give good counsel to those who do.

Lord, may we see the opportunities aging affords, 

and may we embrace not only our own aging, 

but the aging of others. 

May we see that you call the elderly 

to continue giving you glory 

by learning and leading every day of their lives. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 20:29; Titus 2:2-5; 1 Timothy 5:1 .



A Prayer about Those Who Turn Away from Jesus

by | Sep 2, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Those Who Turn Away from Jesus

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

John 6:66

Heavenly Father,

This must be one of the saddest verses in all of Scripture. 

Not too long before this, 

Jesus had fed well over five thousand people 

with five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6:1-16). 

The next day, the crowd of people sought out Jesus, 

wanting them to feed them again, 

but he pointed out their true and desperate need for living bread: 

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. 

If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51). 

Many of the more religious people were confused and disgruntled 

by Jesus’ words—

they were hungry and thirsty 

and just wanted Jesus to do more miracles. 

Sadly, they missed what we sometimes miss—

our deepest need is spiritual. 

We seek things of this earth 

to fill our hunger, our thirst, 

and yet, what we really need 

is what Jesus has already given: 

his blood shed for us, 

his body broken for us, 

and the new life that comes 

from dining on the bread of life (John 6:53-54). 

Father, we know that those who are truly in Christ 

will never turn away from him. 

For those who have turned away from Christ, 

we pray that by your Spirit, 

they will be drawn to return, 

to trust Christ alone 

to fill their hunger and thirst. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read John 6:22-71. 



A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

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

A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Merciful God,

Thank you for your extravagant generosity to us. 

As we bring what we consider to be our needs 

before you today, 

may we trust that you will supply every need, 

not just one or two. 

We admit, sometimes we don’t understand 

why you don’t supply things we think we need—

like healing of our child’s illness 

or a long-desired spouse or child 

or a job that seemed just right. 

In those cases, 

turn our eyes upon your riches in glory—

the undeserved and over-the-top 

provision of glory in Christ Jesus. 

In him, we truly have everything we really need—

forgiveness of our sins past, present, and future, 

peace with you eternally, 

a meaningful kingdom life 

that has already begun 

and will continue forever. 

Help us to remember that

though you have already supplied those needs, 

you continue to supply daily, here-and-now needs, 

and you continue to invite us to bring our daily needs to you, 

because you are our generous Father. 

As we name those needs now, 

we pray “Thy will be done.” 

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read Philippians 4.



A Prayer about Our Real Superpower

by | Aug 31, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Our Real Superpower

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Lord Jesus,

Forgive me. 

I realize that like many others 

in our Western individualistic culture. 

I have taken Paul’s proclamation 

about learning to be content 

in all sorts of circumstances 

and misapplied it. 

We tend to use these words 

like a superpower verse 

emblazoned across our superpower uniform. 

And then we treat you as if you are our super-strength. 

In humility, we come to you 

asking your Spirit to give us the ability 

to know “how to be brought low,” 

and to know “how to abound. 

In any and every circumstance…

to learn the secret of facing plenty and hunger, 

abundance and need” (Philippians 4:11-12). 

May we discover, 

as your followers must, 

that in our weakness, 

your grace is sufficient for us.

And may we boast in that very all-sufficient grace  (2 Corinthians 12:9), 

which is in fact, the only “superpower” we have. 

In your superlative name we pray. Amen.

Read Philippians 4.