A Prayer about the Impossible Woman

by | Oct 17, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living

A Prayer about the Impossible Woman

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Jesus, our True Wisdom,

We thank you for your Holy Spirit, 

who gives us wisdom 

to understand life 

and to understand 

that this woman in Proverbs 31 is meant to be an ideal, 

a composite of various features 

that make a godly woman. 

As I was reading about her the other day, 

I thought of the high expectations placed on women in American culture: 

we are often expected to have highly successful careers 

while at the same time being highly successful mothers 

raising highly successful children. 

Lord, we pray for women in our world, 

that we might turn away from both cultural expectations 

and some supposedly Christian expectations 

that are not your expectations. 

Help us not to worry too much about charm and beauty, 

or other things that will fade away.

Help us to be wise women, 

and to know what work you have called us to do, 

whether that be 

running a business (Proverbs. 31: 18), 

being a realtor (Prov. 31:16), 

sewing quilts (Prov. 31:22), 

or raising children (Prov. 31:27). 

Help us to clothe ourselves in strength and dignity, 

not in comparison and competition. 

Help us, most of all, 

to live in awe and gratitude of you, 

to “fear the Lord,” 

to enjoy you and glorify you 

as the women you have called us to be. 

In your gracious name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 31.

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A Prayer about Being a New Parent

by | Oct 16, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Parenting, Prayer

A Prayer about Being a New Parent

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3

Gracious Father,

With one grandson born in February 

and two more grand babies on the way any day now, 

I’m frequently thinking about the early days of parenting.

Parenting new little ones or new big ones 

is such a whirlwind, 

and we lift these new parents up to you.

New parents are filled with awe at these creations, 

and they know that children are indeed a “reward,” 

a gift, a kindness, an undeserved blessing from you. 

New parents marvel that you would choose them 

to steward your gift of a precious child. 

And at the same time, 

new parents can be overwhelmed by the responsibility. 

Oh, Lord, have mercy on these new parents. 

Help them to remember the truth, 

“Unless the Lord builds the house, 

those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). 

Help them to know that they are never alone 

in this parenting process, 

that as surely as you gave them children, 

you will love them, nurture them, and teach them, 

as the good good Father that you are. 

Help these new parents to make it a habit 

to turn to you 

when they don’t know what to do, 

and show them the way by your Spirit. 

Help these new parents to seek you 

when they can’t figure out 

how to get their jobs done 

and be the parents they want to be. 

Help them to know 

that parenting is frequently about learning to be your child, 

to depend on you as we never have before. 

In the name of your Son, our Savior, we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 127. 

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A Prayer about the Saddest Verse in the Bible

by | Oct 15, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Death and Resurrection, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Saddest Verse in the Bible

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Genesis 3:7

Lord God,

These are some of the most painful verses in the whole Bible 

(right up there with Jesus agonizing in the garden and dying on the cross). 

Just a few verses before, we were told, 

“The man and his wife were both naked and not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). 

You had created them in your image, 

formed their exquisite bodies from the dust, 

giving Adam just the perfect complement he needed. 

And now, in one instant, as Adam stood silently by 

while Eve listened to the words of the serpent, 

the man and the woman had committed treachery. 

They had turned against you, 

doubting your goodness and generosity to them. 

Forever, they would know shame, 

and their descendants with them. 

Today, we feel it, the shame of sin, 

and shame over our bodies. 

Like Adam and Eve, 

we often reach for frail fig leaves 

in efforts to cover our shame, 

but we know they can’t fully cover us, 

and besides, they wither and dry up and fall apart. 

Like Adam and Eve, we often try to hide from you. 

What wretched people we would be if not for your pursuing love!

You refused to leave Adam and Eve 

lurking in the bushes; 

neither do you leave us there. 

You cleansed us from our sin through Christ’s death; 

you sent us the covering of Christ’s righteousness, 

which we wear now as your new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). 

By your mercy, 

we are freed from living in the shadows of shame. 

By your mercy, 

we can celebrate again the bodies you have given us. 

In Jesus’ atoning name. Amen. 

Read Genesis 2:24-3:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. 

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A Prayer about Asking Wrongly

by | Oct 13, 2022 | Daily Prayer, kingdom living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Asking Wrongly

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3

Generous Father,

As we continue to consider the difference 

between living out of the world’s wisdom 

or your wisdom, 

we see how the world’s wisdom 

hinders our prayers. 

If “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” 

drive us, then we quarrel and fight, 

we go to war with one another. 

We even murder, James says (James 4:2).

If we become murderous in our thoughts 

and demanding in our desires, 

we won’t even dare to approach you 

to ask about them. 

We know something is off. 

If we do ask from such a state, 

we probably won’t receive (James 4:3),

because why would you hand 

a murderous, power-hungry woman 

a sword to commit the crime? 

There is only one hope 

for our bitter jealousy and selfish ambition: 

“[You] give more grace. 

[You] oppose the proud, 

but give grace to the humble” (James 4:6). 

May we indeed in all of our prayer, 

submit ourselves to you, draw near to you, 

and resist the devil, that he may flee from us. 

As we humble ourselves before you, 

you do the most amazing thing—

you exalt us (James 4:7-10). 

Thank you for your incomprehensible grace, 

saving Lord. Amen.

Read James 4:1-10. 

A Prayer about Living Well and Wisely

by | Oct 12, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living

A Prayer about Living Well and Wisely

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. James 3:13

Wise Lord,

Yesterday, we prayed for help with our tongues. 

Today, we see that our words and our behavior 

can reveal your wisdom, or they can reveal the world’s wisdom. 

Foolishness comes from “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” (James 3:13).

When we try to show off how great our kids are, 

how great our vacations are, 

how great our homes are, 

or when we want to have what someone else has,

we’re living out of the world’s wisdom. 

There’s nothing wrong 

with enjoying the good and perfect gifts 

you give us to enjoy in this life, 

but when we consider these gifts essential or earned,

when we forget to be grateful 

and instead become demanding, 

we are living out of the world’s wisdom. 

Wise people, you tell us, 

speak and live differently: 

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, 

then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, 

full of mercy and good fruits, 

impartial and sincere.” 

Wise people are at peace and seek peace.

Lord, by the mercy and grace of your Wise Son, 

please fill us with your wisdom. Amen. 

Read James 3:13-18.

A Prayer about Taming Our Tongues

by | Oct 11, 2022 | Gospel living

A Prayer about Taming Our Tongues

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8

Holy Father,

We confess, 

when we are not rooted in your steadfast love, 

immersed in your Word, 

we can so quickly and rashly 

wield words that wound others. 

Help us to spend some time 

thinking through our words, 

asking, “Are my words full of deadly poison? 

If I type this comment, 

send this email, 

make this remark, 

will it hurt someone’s feelings?

If I share this rant, 

could someone feel guilty 

or ashamed 

or angry

or sad?” 

Change us, Lord, 

conforming us to the image of your Son,

because we know that our tongue tendencies 

are deeply rooted in sinful selves. 

Only through the love 

of your Son, 

only through the transforming power 

of the Holy Spirit, 

can we learn to speak words 

of wisdom, truth, and kindness. 

In Jesus’ kind name. Amen.

Read James 3:1-12.