A Prayer about Being United by Christ

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Being United by Christ

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Uniting Lord,

We confess, 

the apostle Paul is holding up a mirror 

to the current state of our churches 

as he pleads with the Corinthians 

to agree “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 

to have “no divisions among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:10). 

Like the Corinthians, 

we sometimes make the leaders of our churches 

or the traditions of our denominations 

more important than the gospel. 

Forgive us, Lord,

for all the ways we deny the gospel of your grace. 

Forgive us, Lord, 

for all the ways we look to the “world’s wisdom” 

rather than the upside-down wisdom of the gospel 

to save us. 

For indeed, Christ crucified sounds like a strange way 

to be saved to this world, 

but as Christians, 

we know that death is the way to life, 

and that your power displayed 

in Christ’s resurrection

is the only power 

that can save us (1 Corinthians 1:20-25). 

United with Christ, may we be united 

with one another in this saving truth.

In Jesus’ reconciling name. Amen.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-31.

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A Prayer about Being a Son or Daughter of Encouragement

by | Jul 6, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Being a Son or Daughter of Encouragement

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement)….

Acts 4:36

Merciful God,

I confess that my nickname 

might be “daughter of critique” 

rather than “daughter of encouragement.” 

Help us, we pray, 

to be known as people who encourage, 

who praise and affirm others, 

who build others up. 

Throughout the Bible, 

we see your children 

affirming and encouraging others.*

Not only that, we see Jesus affirming others:

“You are the salt of the earth…” (Matt. 5:13).

“You are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:31).

Even a woman who is known for her sins, he praises, 

“Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet (Luke 7:44-45).

It is true, he critiques Simon, the Pharisee, 

who is judging him 

for allowing the sinful woman to touch him. 

We see that we are called to critique at times, 

wisely, patiently, mercifully, 

but the overwhelming pattern in Scripture 

is to encourage one another 

and build each other up” (1 Thess. 5:11).

Help us to look for the image of God in each person, 

whether they are believers or unbelievers. 

Help us to look for the image of God 

even in our enemies, 

people who have betrayed us. 

And by your Spirit, 

give us the words to praise what is praiseworthy, 

what reflects your goodness and glory, 

in all we meet.

In Jesus’ praising and praiseworthy name. Amen.

Read 1 Corinthians 1; Luke 7:36-50; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15.

*This prayer inspired by the book, Practicing Affirmation: God-Centered Praise of Those Who Are Not God by Sam Crabtree. He gave these examples and many more of Jesus and others praising people.



A Prayer about Not Repaying Evil for Evil

by | Jul 5, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Not Repaying Evil for Evil

“See to it that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”  

1 Thess 5:15

Good Father,

Not only are you “abundantly good,” 

you sent your Son to defeat evil, 

in our hearts, and in this world. 

We know our hearts are “deceitful” 

and “desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9), 

and we know we are blind to our own potential 

to harm others and to rebel against you. 

Show us, we pray, by your Spirit, 

the ways we harbor evil, 

the ways we seek revenge 

when someone has done us evil. 

Destroy every crack and crevice 

of bitterness or resentment 

we might harbor. 

Draw us to “seek to do good”— 

to “one another” and to “everyone,” 

not just to the people 

who have been nice to us, 

the people we agree with on all the hot-button issues, 

or the people who look, talk, and act like us. 

In Jesus’ kind name. Amen. 

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.



A Prayer about the Perfection God Promises

by | Jul 4, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Perfection God Promises

You therefore must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

Heavenly Father, 

As a recovering perfectionist, 

I confess, this verse always makes me anxious 

when I first read it.

But then I reread Dr. Dan Doriani’s commentary on Matthew, 

and he reminds me, 

the command is also a promise as phrased in Greek, 

“You shall be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

As he says, the word “perfect” also reveals 

how completely inadequate we are 

to live out Jesus’ commands 

apart from his mercy and grace 

operating in our lives. 

The word “perfect” means “mature and complete,” 

but we know we’re nowhere near 

as mature and complete as God is, 

so it must be a process. 

Indeed,

becoming mature and complete 

takes a lifetime of your sanctifying work 

through the Spirit. 

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “work harder”; 

it means “depend on God more,” 

because you are the God 

who makes new selves out of old selves (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Becoming mature and complete 

doesn’t mean “never make a mistake”; 

it means “run to God 

with all of your mistakes, 

weaknesses, and sin.” 

To be perfect

is to trust in you alone 

to finish the good work 

you began in us in Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). 

In Jesus’ perfecting name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:17-48; Philippians 3:12-16.



A Prayer about True Freedom

by | Jul 3, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about True Freedom

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Merciful Father,

When the apostle Paul told the Galatians 

they had been set free for freedom, 

he wasn’t talking politics; 

he was talking about 

the rich, generous, and gracious 

freedom we have in Christ. 

On this Independence Day in America, 

some of us celebrate America’s freedom, 

but even more, 

we celebrate the freedom we have 

as citizens of your kingdom. 

We are…

Freed from sin and shame 

to bear the fruit of sanctification 

and to live eternal life as your servants, 

starting now (Romans 6:22). 

Freed to outdo one another in love, 

with honor, not slander, 

with hospitable hearts, 

assuming the best of others, not the worst (Romans 12:9-10).

Freed to serve God and serve others, 

not to use our “freedom as a cover-up for evil” (1 Peter 2:16).

Best of all, we are freed 

to spend all of our time, money, and energy 

giving glory to you, 

our  mighty and majestic God (Revelation 1:5-6).

Thank you for these truths which set us truly free (John 8:32).

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read Galatians 5:1-10; Romans 12:9-19; 1 Peter 2:16; Revelation 1:5-6; John 8:32.



A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

by | Jul 2, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2

Everlasting God,

I did it again.

I just scrolled away twenty minutes, 

looking at this and that, 

following this trail on someone’s post about their wayward cat, 

clicking on this headline about a bizarre tragedy on a remote island, 

checking the weather for Wimbledon…

Have mercy on me, have mercy on us.

Sometimes it seems we have no self-control 

when a screen is in our hand or at our fingertips.

We long to know the “rest for my soul” 

that Jesus has promised (Matthew 11:28-30), 

and yet so much of what we do 

fills our heads and heart 

with noise and trivia 

that is impotent to change our lives.

Transform us, we pray, 

renew our minds by the work of your Spirit, 

so that we can sit still 

and remember that you are God (Psalm 46:10). 

Speaking of sitting, 

help us to do just that sometimes, 

to sit quietly with no phone, no tablet, not even a book, 

and listen for your voice delighting in us, 

for in this very moment, 

you are singing over us, 

quieting us with your love (Zephaniah 3:14-17). 

In Jesus’ life-changing name. Amen. 

Read Romans 12:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 46:10; Zephaniah 3:14-17.