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. 



A Prayer about Being Permanently Justified

by | May 8, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Being Permanently Justified

We couldn’t carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials.    Philippians 3:3-4

Justifying Lord,

How I pray we can really and truly grasp 

once and for all, 

the profound peace 

that comes through being justified by Christ, 

being robed in Christ’s righteousness. 

I don’t know for sure, 

but I’m guessing the internal dialogue in my friends’ minds 

may go something like mine:

Oh I feel bad for not going to the women’s event. 

but I had to go to my son’s award ceremony.

Oh I wish I hadn’t said that. Now she’s going to think I don’t care about her. 

But I did send her a birthday text.

Oh why didn’t I hang my keys on the hook so I wouldn’t lose them?

But I did keep up with my phone all weekend.

It can go on and on like that, 

all day, 

all of our lives: 

we accuse ourselves 

and then we justify ourselves 

in an endless internal monologue.

Lord, spare us from this miserable guilt.

Your Word “accuses” us of actual sin clearly: 

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). 

That is the truth about us outside of Christ.

But thanks be to God, your Word also tells us 

the source of our justification, 

and it’s not in ourselves: 

“And to the one who does not work 

but believes in him 

who justifies the ungodly, 

his faith is counted as righteousness…” (Romans 4:5).

Oh, Lord, we are free at last, 

free at last.

Make us certain of this glorious reality: 

our righteousness is in and through Christ alone. 

Now, robed beautifully in his righteousness, 

we can run to tell others, 

we can live to love the God 

who ended this dreadful internal monologue 

with Jesus’ words from the cross,

“It is finished” (John 19:30).

In Jesus’ righteous name. Amen.

Read Philippians 3:1-14.



A Prayer about De-Selfing

by | May 2, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about De-Selfing

….who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:4

Lord Jesus,

Grow our awe—

You gave your-self: your fully divine, fully human self…

For what?

For my sins, for our sins…

Our sins revolve and evolve 

from our selves:

I am/we are

self-seeking,

self-promoting,

self-conscious,

self-pitying, 

self-protecting, 

among many other self-centric behaviors. 

You are 

self-sacrificing, 

self-lowering, 

self-emptying, 

self-less. 

Through your sacrifice for our sins,

we are delivered from the present evil age—

That is, we are 

redeemed, 

rescued, 

saved, 

from our self-centeredness 

and all of the self-seeking attitudes 

this fallen world promotes.

You obeyed the will of your Father, 

that he might be glorified, 

lifted up, 

praised, 

and in you, 

we too are transformed 

from self-centeredness 

to other-centeredness,

empowered 

to glorify God 

and glorify you, 

to love you 

and love others.

Indeed, in you, 

we have every reason to hope 

for freedom from self. 

Amen. 

Read Galatians 1:1-4; Philippians 2:3-11.



A Prayer about Wise Tongues

by | May 1, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Wise Tongues

Do you see someone who speaks in haste?

There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Proverbs 29:20

All-Wise God, 

Forgive our foolishness. 

Heal our tongues, 

which often speak “rashly, 

like the thrusts of a sword” (Proverbs 12:18).

We have become deeply enculturated 

in a world that is quick to speak 

and slow to listen

when you have called us 

as citizens of your kingdom 

to be “quick to hear, 

slow to speak, 

slow to anger” (James 1:19). 

Lord, we confess to you some of the sins 

that slip off our tongues: 

comparison, 

envy, 

judgment,

gossip, 

criticism, 

slander, 

to name just a few.

Change us, Lord, 

so that “no evil talk come(s) out of our mouths, 

but only what is useful for building up, 

as there is need, 

so that our words may give grace 

to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

Grant us 

the loving wisdom, 

extraordinary patience, 

and sacrificial forgiveness 

of your Son

who taught us to love our enemies 

and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 4:43-44). 

In Jesus’s all-wise name. Amen. 

Read Proverbs 29. 



A Prayer about Our Reasons for Rejoicing

by | Apr 30, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Our Reasons for Rejoicing

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Steadfastly Loving Lord,

How many are our reasons for rejoicing!

This very day, and every day, 

is the day you have made!

As we look around, 

many of us see green sprigs shooting out of the earth, 

smell new blooms of jasmine scenting the air around us, 

and hear the gentle hum of birds chirping 

about their new babies nesting in the trees. 

Indeed, what great cause we have for rejoicing in your creation!

But even more, we rejoice in our Savior, 

the “stone the builders rejected” 

who has become our cornerstone, 

the building block that ensures our firm foundation, 

that gives us hope for new life today and every day (Psalm 118:22).

You have made us new again, 

part of your new creation. 

You have saved us and blessed us; 

you have made your light to shine upon us (Ps. 118:25-27). 

You are our God, and we will give thanks to you, 

for your steadfast love endures forever! (See Ps. 118:28-29). 

Amen!

Read Psalm 118.