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. 



A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

by | Jun 16, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

Have you ever wondered how you can rejoice in suffering?

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…Romans 5:3-4.

Lord Jesus,

Yesterday we prayed about rejoicing 

“in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

Today we need to face the fact that, 

for those who follow you, 

suffering is not only normal, 

but also a cause for rejoicing. 

That doesn’t really fit our American narrative, 

so help us by your Spirit to understand:

Suffering produces endurance: 

As we fix our eyes on you, 

the “founder and perfecter” of our faith 

who endured the cross for us (Hebrews 12:2), 

we are empowered by your Spirit to keep walking forward, 

one new mercy at a time.

Endurance produces character: 

Through suffering, you are making us “mature and complete” (James 1:4), 

people who are wise and compassionate, 

tender and strong comforters, 

people who don’t toss out spiritual Band-aids, 

people who listen carefully 

and give wise counsel at the right time.

Character produces hope: 

As you grow our endurance and character through suffering, 

we long even more for the future day 

when you will return and make all things new. 

This is the essence of hope, 

and it is a hope that will never disappoint (Romans 5:5).

In your suffering name. Amen.

Read Romans 5:1-5.



A Prayer about the Grace in Which We Stand

by | Jun 15, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Grace in Which We Stand

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

Lord Jesus Christ,

What peace and hope and joy we have 

when we trust in you for our salvation.

In you, we have “obtained access,” 

that is, gained entrance into secure relationship with God. 

It’s like the Queen of England has an open door policy 

inviting us into her state room. 

But it’s even better than that. 

Not only are we given an audience with the Queen, 

she welcomes us with delight, 

like familiar family she really loves. 

We don’t wobble in your grace 

as though we’re about to fall out of it; 

we stand in it. 

We are held secure in your grace, 

which will not let us go. 

We stand tall and strong like mighty oaks, 

Unmoved by difficult circumstances.

Not only that, in this grace we rejoice, even boast. 

We are so confident in your grace 

that we want to shout it out like thrilled fans at a football game. 

Our sure hope for today and for the coming years

is that the glory of God will be known throughout all the earth. 

Our joy comes in knowing 

that we get to play a bit part in the story of your glory. 

In your justifying name. Amen. 

Read Romans 4:13-5:2.



A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

by | Jun 13, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

Mighty God,

As I’ve been dealing with some technology tangles

that have me fussing and fuming, 

I’ve realized this could be spiritual attack. 

I pray for myself and for all my fellow prayer warriors 

who are facing a battle with the “cosmic powers” 

and the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).

Help us, Lord, 

to battle in your strength 

against these forces, 

because you have provided a full set of armor, 

and because we’re too weak and frail to fight it in our own strength.

Your belt of truth holds us secure; 

your breastplate of righteousness defends against false accusations; 

your gospel shoes give us the peace of your shalom; 

your shield of faith catches flaming lies; 

your helmet of salvation keeps us safe forevermore; 

your Spirit’s sword, your Holy Word, steadies us in true truth; 

and last but definitely not least, 

the prayers of the saints keep us upright. 

Lord, strengthen us 

that we may continue to share the good news 

of our only hope:

Jesus’ conquering name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 6:10-20.



A Prayer about the Occupied Throne

by | Jun 9, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Occupied Throne

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13

 

Lord Our Heavenly King,

We confess, 

we’ve never seen a throne in real life, 

and sometimes it’s hard to understand 

what it means that you’re sitting 

on the throne of heaven, 

right this very minute. 

Show us, we pray, 

that we might see you as our glorious King 

even as we wait for the day 

we will gather before your throne in person.

Because you are on the throne, 

we can wait for that day confidently, 

knowing that the day of judgment is coming 

for evil rulers who seem to be winning over the world 

with their corrupt power. 

Because you are on the throne, 

we can wait peacefully, 

knowing that our King is seated on the throne, 

not pacing the floor wringing his hands in worry 

about the wretched state of the cosmos. 

Because you are on the throne, we can wait gratefully, 

seeing the King who suffered for us to make us his people. 

Because you are on the throne, we can wait worshipfully, 

bowing with all the saints of heaven 

before your occupied throne, 

singing the praise of our benevolent King.

In Jesus’ just and merciful name we pray. 

Amen.

Read Revelation 4-5.